Our trader asked us to provide a 1B bank instrument for monetization to AFRIJAPAN - we researched and thought, "Big organization - does lot's of good work - like to help" so we agreed to split the monetization of 800M 50/50 with 50% to their charitable efforts.
We flinched a little when they asked us to allocate 25M to their president but we thought - OK it's good cause and Africa is just "that kind of place."
We transferred our MTN via MT542 into their account at ECOBANK and our banker verified the SWIFT.
A few days later they asked us to apply to another platform for a special trade deal and we got involved in this long arduous and frustrating process of submitting an entire KYC package over a weekend that ended the following week with speaking to a trader who didn't know anything about the offer we were given, wanted money upfront from us, and we declined.
At that point it would have been appropriate for us to simply withdraw but we gave AFRIJAPAN one more shot for the charitable folks we are, and they told us that the monetizer needed the instruments on Euroclear - now remember we were asked to send MT542 to their account? - now it needs to be on Euroclear so they need a Euroclear account - somehow they dont' have one so they inform us they will meet with Euroclear on Monday in Brussels and we think, "OK sounds like they're doing something." Monday comes and nobody shows in Brussels and the monetizer contacts us and is angry that we have not performed. This is when we discover they somehow had it in their mind to open an account without the help of their banker.
At this point we decided they didn't know enough about the transaction and we terminated the agreement and sent a C&D.
Bad choice all around but a formal C&D is the correct way to handle a 1B asset that's been sitting for several weeks? We think so.
So then the problems began.
Email after email from Bleka and Rolande threatening us, insulting us, calling us brokers, and telling us we were blacklisted and fraudulent (all of the time asking us to please bring back our instrument to complete the deal) - instead of honoring our C&D they distributed our information to at least two monetizers who contacted us saying that AFRIJAPAN referred them and could they help.
I'm sure that AFRIJAPAN as a consortium between countries and a humanitarian organization does excellent and much needed work. Many of our projects that we fund are in Africa and we share many of the same missions and goals.
But what a surprise to be threatened and insulted by people who are supposed to be involved in a humanitarian mission. I can understand the loss of 400M was significant perhaps and even the 25M for the leader was driving some strange behaviors but these folks never spent a dime, never spoke to us before we offered to donate the 400M, never said thank you - nothing. And when they couldn't perform, instead of trying to build bridges they came at us with guns blazing thinking they could threaten us into coming back to the table. Who threatens, insults, and accuses as a way to build partnerships?
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DONATE FUNDS TO AFRIJAPAN I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU MAKE A "DIRECTED" DONATION AND SPECIFIY HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED. AND DON'T TAKE BANK INSTRUMENTS TO THEM FOR MONETIZATION AND TRADE - THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT AND GET VERY ANGRY WHEN THEY FAIL.
AfriJapan Reviews
Our trader asked us to provide a 1B bank instrument for monetization to AFRIJAPAN - we researched and thought, "Big organization - does lot's of good work - like to help" so we agreed to split the monetization of 800M 50/50 with 50% to their charitable efforts.
We flinched a little when they asked us to allocate 25M to their president but we thought - OK it's good cause and Africa is just "that kind of place."
We transferred our MTN via MT542 into their account at ECOBANK and our banker verified the SWIFT.
A few days later they asked us to apply to another platform for a special trade deal and we got involved in this long arduous and frustrating process of submitting an entire KYC package over a weekend that ended the following week with speaking to a trader who didn't know anything about the offer we were given, wanted money upfront from us, and we declined.
At that point it would have been appropriate for us to simply withdraw but we gave AFRIJAPAN one more shot for the charitable folks we are, and they told us that the monetizer needed the instruments on Euroclear - now remember we were asked to send MT542 to their account? - now it needs to be on Euroclear so they need a Euroclear account - somehow they dont' have one so they inform us they will meet with Euroclear on Monday in Brussels and we think, "OK sounds like they're doing something." Monday comes and nobody shows in Brussels and the monetizer contacts us and is angry that we have not performed. This is when we discover they somehow had it in their mind to open an account without the help of their banker.
At this point we decided they didn't know enough about the transaction and we terminated the agreement and sent a C&D.
Bad choice all around but a formal C&D is the correct way to handle a 1B asset that's been sitting for several weeks? We think so.
So then the problems began.
Email after email from Bleka and Rolande threatening us, insulting us, calling us brokers, and telling us we were blacklisted and fraudulent (all of the time asking us to please bring back our instrument to complete the deal) - instead of honoring our C&D they distributed our information to at least two monetizers who contacted us saying that AFRIJAPAN referred them and could they help.
I'm sure that AFRIJAPAN as a consortium between countries and a humanitarian organization does excellent and much needed work. Many of our projects that we fund are in Africa and we share many of the same missions and goals.
But what a surprise to be threatened and insulted by people who are supposed to be involved in a humanitarian mission. I can understand the loss of 400M was significant perhaps and even the 25M for the leader was driving some strange behaviors but these folks never spent a dime, never spoke to us before we offered to donate the 400M, never said thank you - nothing. And when they couldn't perform, instead of trying to build bridges they came at us with guns blazing thinking they could threaten us into coming back to the table. Who threatens, insults, and accuses as a way to build partnerships?
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DONATE FUNDS TO AFRIJAPAN I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU MAKE A "DIRECTED" DONATION AND SPECIFIY HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED. AND DON'T TAKE BANK INSTRUMENTS TO THEM FOR MONETIZATION AND TRADE - THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT AND GET VERY ANGRY WHEN THEY FAIL.