Daniel writes in to say that I should provide a bit of an explanation for why this should be a scandal. I guess that the reason would be that it is simply not normal for a Central Bank, to transfer free and clear, ownership of a sovereign bond, worth $2 billion, to a recently formed limited company with a share capital of £2,000, managed by an individual (Tony Caplin) who appears as inactive in the Financial Services Authority register.
[Read UPDATE] Some context of actors provided to facilitate further investigations in respective jurisdictions.
Banco Central de Venezuela (BCV): Venezuela’s Central Bank .
Nelson Merentes: Current President of BCV .
Eudomar Tovar: First Vice President of BCV .
Kellmar Limited: Isle of Man registered, £2,000 limited company .
James Ellwood: Director of Kellmar Ltd . Board member of Momentum Pensions Ltd .
Anthony Lindsay Caplin: a.k.a. Tony Caplin . Former Chief Operating Officer of the Conservative Party . Formerly with Panmure Gordon . Director of Kellmar Ltd since 29 March 2011 . Current Chairman of North West London Hospitals NHS Trust . Current member of the Medical Research Council . Current Commissioner of the Public Works Loan Board . Currently inactive -as individual AXC01538 – Anthony Lindsay Caplin- according to the Financial Services Authority register .
Ramon Carpio Carvajal: Vice President of International Operations of BCV .
Ira D. Pruitt Jr: Attorney for Kellmar Ltd and Tony Caplin .
Rosallyn Hazelle: St. Kitts & Nevis Ambassador and Permanent Secretary Industry, Commerce, and Consumer Affairs .
Credit Suisse .
Sovereign Bond: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 9.250, 07/05/28, ISIN USP17625AB33, common code 036133678 .
Tomado de Venezuela: Central Bank transfers $2 billion sovereign bond to Tony Caplin / Kellmar Limited