Businessman Gregor Nassief is calling for a formal commission of inquiry into Dominica’s Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) program, alleging that widespread illegal discounting is “eroding public trust” and draining the national treasury.
Nassief, the developer of Secret Bay villas and president-elect of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, claims that years of unanswered questions regarding the program’s finances have left the country’s reputation and revenue at risk. In a leaked letter sent to government officials in June—the 14th such letter he has written over seven years—Nassief detailed what he described as systemic irregularities.
At the heart of the controversy is the allegation that citizenship is being sold at prices well below the legal threshold. Nassief alleges that 80% of CBI transactions involve discounts, which average roughly 55% off the legal price.
According to Nassief, this “high-volume, heavily discounted model” has led to an unprecedented surge in passport issuance. Citing EU data, he noted that Dominica issued approximately 49,619 passports between 2018 and mid-2024, a figure higher than in the program’s entire history prior to that period.
Nassief argues that this practice has “systematically drained lawful revenue” from the treasury, leaving the government struggling to fund essential services such as health, education, tourism, and solid-waste management. Furthermore, he alleged that some developers are effectively receiving state-financed projects through citizenship quotas while gaining freehold ownership of strategic national assets.
The controversy comes as international scrutiny of Caribbean CBI programs intensifies. The U.S. State Department has long warned that these programs lack proper vetting and pose security risks, as they allow foreign nationals from restricted countries to obtain third-country passports to bypass travel restrictions. Recent investigations revealed that approximately 7,700 individuals—including nationals from Russia, China, and Iran—purchased Dominica passports to gain “backdoor” access to the European Union and the United Kingdom.
The fallout has already begun to impact Dominican citizens’ travel privileges. The country has already lost visa-free access to the UK, and the European Union has requested that Caribbean nations shut down their CBI programs by 2028 or lose visa-free travel to the bloc. Additionally, the U.S. has cited these programs when announcing tighter visa controls for passport holders from CBI nations.
Despite the mounting pressure, Nassief states that the program remains “opaque” and “lawless”. He is demanding a forensic audit, the appointment of an independent regulator, and a commission of inquiry to restore integrity to the system.
“Development and integrity are not, and must never be, mutually exclusive,” Nassief stated, questioning if the nation should feel proud of infrastructure built on a “foundation of illicit money”.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has not responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations. During a news conference, Nassief indicated he is prepared to take further steps if his concerns remain unaddressed. “We would be willing to go to court,” he said.
