From the principality of Swarthmore
By Bob Small
India is one of the countries we follow (Bollywood movies, Indian cooking and restaurants, Shah Rukh Khan and) India has a corruption level equal to the old Cook County, Ill. or, more recently, the Philly Dem machine. Something to think about as you read this
One Harshvardahn Jain aka Baron H V Jain decided to create fake embassies in Ghaziabad, a suburb of New Delhi. Among the “countries” he “represented” were Westarctica aka West Arctica. (See end of article for other “micro-nations”). He reportedly has an MBA from the London College of Applied Science among other degrees.
When the police raided his “embassies”they recovered $53,500 in cash in addition to doctored passports and forged documents bearing stamps of India’s foreign ministry.
That is what they found, who knows what else might be hidden.
Among his scams were promising people jobs in these “micro-nations” and laundering money through the Hawala system. A small golden nameplate at his door read “His Excellency Harsh Vardham Jain, Royal Consigliere, Principata de Seborga (Royal Advisor to Seborga)”
Jain follows in a long list of dreamers and/or scammers including Leicester Hemingway, who had a more famous brother named Ernest.
Swarthmore’s namesake Swarthmoor Hall, is in Lancashire England and there’s also Swarthmore, which is an “education center” in Leeds, also England. There is a Strathmore in Scotland but sadly, no principality. Another opportunity missed.
See also Indian police arrest man accused of running fake embassy
Among other “micro-nations” are;
New Atlantis
Grand Duchy of Flandrensia
Hutt River
Ladonia
Lieberland
United States of Kailasa
Sealand
Principality of Seborga
Very informative.
Thank you for this article.