shell companies

A shell corporation is a company or corporation with no significant assets or operations, often formed to obtain financing before beginning business. Shell companies were primarily vehicles for lawfully hiding the identity of their beneficial owners, and this is still their defining feature due to the loopholes in global corporate transparency initiatives. It may hold passive investments or be the registered owner of assets, such as intellectual property or ships. Shell companies may be registered to the address of a company that provides a service setting up shell companies, and which may act as the agent for receipt of legal correspondence. The company may serve as a vehicle for business transactions without itself having any significant assets or operations.