For fugitives, there are ten cities in the world where they can hide and live anonymously with a new identity.
Where might an American fugitive using a new identity be able to travel to avoid the law’s long arm anonymously?
Legal and law enforcement specialists will not mention the “best” hiding places where a fugitive can live anonymously. They will point out nations where local police must make the arrests. U.S. diplomatic connections with local law enforcement agencies are crucial to extradition.
Some of the ten places listed here have no extradition treaty with the US government or are non-cooperative with Governments when it comes to extradition, Allowing the possibility of anonymous living with a new identity.
Around 100 countries have no extradition treaties with the United States. In any of them, an American fleeing American justice could hide in plain sight. The main issue is that many are impoverished and afflicted with disease, which is unpleasant and terrible at best but provides a chance at anonymous living without a new identity.
Most Western hemispheric countries have extradition treaties with the United States. Thus, the risk of extradition may be worth living in a more pleasant atmosphere, even though anonymous living might not be an option if they don’t have a new identity.
The following is an unscientific list of the top 10 hideaway citizens for Americans on the run.
It was calculated using a matrix of risk/pleasure factors, such as whether countries have extradition treaties with the United States and how good relations are, the size of the city population and the ease of getting “lost,” and these subjective factors.
How westernized the city is and the activities and culture available in it. All of the places would be better options for an anonymous living situation if the fugitive had a new identity.
Lyon, France.
France is a flight destination worth considering. There’s the cuisine, for starters. And France appears to be hesitant to extradite at times. Because of their age, France refused to extradite Michael and Linda Mastro in June unless the US pledged not to imprison them.
Michael Mastro, 88, and Linda Mastro, 63, are hiding in plain sight in the French Alps without a new identity after being indicted on allegations of money laundering and bankruptcy fraud (totalling $570 million, according to bankruptcy trustee James Rigby).
Lyon, one of France’s largest cities, has a sizable population in which to get lost (over 2 million in the urban area). The city offers a vibrant economic and cultural scene and excellent cuisine.
Marseille, France.
Marseille, which has a population equivalent to Lyon, has the added benefit of being in the Mediterranean. It has castles, museums, beaches (300 days of sunlight each year), and many small businesses. It is also known as a gangland, which keeps the cops busy and gives one an excellent chance to live anonymously.
Belem, Brazil.
Even though Brazil and the United States have an extradition treaty, many fugitives have sought refuge in this large, developing country. It appears that becoming “lost” in Brazil is simple.
According to William Sorukas, the Marshals Service’s chief of international investigations, US marshals enjoy an “excellent working relationship” with Brazilian law enforcement. Weigh the benefits of living in Brazil against the risks.
Belem has a sizable population of 2.25 million people, making it easy to get lost. Its airport, transit terminal, and water routes are the “gateway to the Amazon.” In the “City of Mango Trees,” a fugitive relaxes on one of 14 freshwater beaches.
China’s Tianjin
Tianjin is a huge port city on the Grand Canal near the Bohai Gulf in northeast China, about two hours from Beijing yet so much more surprising as a hideout. The population is ten million people.
The local water park has lakes and willow trees (no wave pools or rides), and the culture is generally non-Western. China can offer a fugitive with a new identity a good place for anonymous living.
Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod
This metropolis of almost a million people, formerly known as Gorky (as in author Maxim Gorky), has its own Kremlin, ancient monasteries, and modern industry. Nizhny is a little-known city that gets good travel reviews.
On the other hand, the weather might give you pause: from November to March, it snows virtually every day. Even the summers are pleasant, and in light of recent geopolitical events, Russia offers anonymous living to anyone without a new identity.
Salvador is a city in Brazil.
Salvador has vibrant arts, music, food, and beach scenes. During the Salvador de Bahia Carnival, the world’s largest street festival, the city attracts over 2 million people.
Despite the risk of anonymous living with a new identity, the US government claims that Brazilian officials are “very cooperative and receptive” to US inquiries. The pleasure factor places Brazil in the middle of the list of American fugitives.
Russia’s St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, known as the “Venice of Russia,” is a historical city with canals, castles, and cathedrals. It is also a cultural hub (home to the Hermitage). The city has a population of 4.5 million.
The northern location on the Gulf of Finland’s coast results in “white nights” (no darkness) in the summer. However, Winter is dark. Close to the water moderates temperatures, which drop to around 14 degrees F in the winter and rise to the mid-80s in the summer. This is the ideal place for a fugitive with a new identity to live and travel Anonymously.
Andorra, Escaldes-Engordany
Andorra is a country between France and Spain, in case you didn’t know. Tourism, skiing, and shopping are the mainstays of its thriving economy. Andorrans have one of the world’s longest life expectancies, averaging 85 years. Escaldes is known for its natural hot springs, particularly the opulent Caldea.
Although the town has a population of barely 14,000 people, tourists keep it busy, allowing fugitives to use a new identity and live anonymously. Andorra has neither an extradition treaty with the United States nor a consulate, so hiding in a crowd is unlikely. Winters are cold, while summers are cool.
China’s Macau
Macau, located across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong, has no extradition treaty with the US. The tourism industry is thriving, but the population is small, around half a million people.
However, it’s possible that a fugitive won’t need to flee. Macau, a Chinese “administrative territory,” a gaming hotspot, and recently mentioned by Business Insider as a destination for China’s wealthy to launder money, could be an ideal location for Americans fleeing prosecution with a new identity and wanting to live anonymously.
Andorra la Vella
The lovely town of Escaldes is not distant from the hot baths of Escaldes. With a population of around 20,000, Andorra la Vella is the country’s capital. This is your place if you enjoy skiing, soaking, and shopping.
Next to France and Spain and with no extradition treaty with the US. It makes for a safe heaven for a fugitive with a new identity to live and travel anonymously.
If you have concerns or problems with your new identity, Amicus International consulting can help.
