At Meridien International, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of legal compliance, regulatory integrity, and ethical business practices. As a responsible service provider, we do not accept clients or entities involved in prohibited or illegal activities, whether directly or indirectly.
We also reserve the right to terminate services without prior notice if any client, entity, beneficial owner, or related party is found to be engaged in such activities or becomes classified as a prohibited client at any time during the course of our relationship.
1. Prohibited Clients
We do not provide services to any individual or legal entity that falls within one or more of the following categories:
1.1 Lack of Legal Capacity
Persons who are prohibited under the laws of any relevant jurisdiction from entering into binding contracts, such as minors or individuals legally declared as having no mental or legal capacity, will not be accepted as clients.
1.2 Insolvency, Criminal Conviction or Disqualification
We do not accept individuals or corporate officers who:
- Are undischarged bankrupts;
- Are subject to a disqualification order preventing them from acting as company directors or holding a managerial role;
- Have been convicted of a criminal offence (other than a motoring offence not resulting in a custodial sentence);
- Have served a prison sentence or are currently subject to criminal prosecution or regulatory investigation.
1.3 Dishonest Conduct in Civil Matters
Clients who have been found in civil proceedings to have acted fraudulently, dishonestly, or in breach of fiduciary duty will be excluded.
1.4 Sanctioned Individuals and High-Risk Jurisdictions
We do not accept clients who are:
- Residents or citizens of countries subject to international sanctions or embargoes (including those imposed by the UN, EU, UK, or OFAC);
- Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) or individuals listed on sanctions or watchlists, unless comprehensive enhanced due diligence has been conducted and approved.
2. Prohibited or Illegal Activities
Meridien International does not support or engage with clients whose activities fall into the following prohibited categories:
2.1 Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Related Offences
We prohibit any involvement in:
- The handling or transfer of funds derived from criminal activities;
- The receipt or movement of assets related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, or terrorism;
- Transactions involving jurisdictions known to support such activities or which are on FATF high-risk or non-cooperative lists.
2.2 Unauthorised or High-Risk Financial Activities
The following financial operations are not permitted unless fully licensed and disclosed:
- Soliciting funds from the public or acting as an unlicensed deposit taker;
- Offering financial or investment advice to third parties without regulation;
- Managing investment portfolios for clients or operating collective investment schemes;
- Issuing or trading unregulated securities, tokens, or digital assets.
2.3 Weapons, Surveillance and Military Activity
We strictly exclude involvement in:
- Trading in arms, ammunition, explosives, or military equipment;
- Mercenary operations or contract soldiering;
- Manufacturing, exporting or brokering surveillance technologies, bugging devices, or crowd control equipment (e.g. tasers, pepper sprays, CS/CN gas).
2.4 Trade in Hazardous, Controlled or Banned Substances
We do not assist with entities engaged in:
- The trade, storage, or disposal of hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or biological agents;
- The trafficking or sale of human or animal organs for transplant or research;
- The unauthorised manufacture or sale of pharmaceuticals or experimental medical products.
2.5 Socially and Ethically Sensitive Activities
Meridien International does not service businesses engaged in:
- Human trafficking, forced labour, or abuse of refugees;
- Pornography or adult content services;
- Unregulated adoption or surrogacy services;
- Unaccredited institutions purporting to offer academic degrees;
- Businesses associated with the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
2.6 Gambling, Pyramid Schemes and Similar
We prohibit engagement in:
- Online casinos, gambling operations, or betting platforms that do not hold relevant licences;
- Pyramid sales, multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, or other high-risk commercial practices;
- Timeshare, fractional ownership, or real estate investment programmes lacking full legal compliance.
2.7 Regulatory, Reputational or Legal Risk
We reserve the right to refuse services if:
- The proposed activities are illegal in the jurisdiction of incorporation or operation;
- The activities may damage the reputation of Meridien International or its affiliates;
- There is a legal or regulatory uncertainty that poses an undue compliance risk.
3. General Policy on Compliance
Meridien International adheres to strict anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CTF), and international sanctions regimes. All clients are required to undergo comprehensive due diligence and KYC/UBO verification before services are provided. We continuously monitor clients and entities to ensure ongoing compliance.
If during the course of our relationship we become aware that a client is in breach of any of the above terms, we may:
- Immediately terminate our engagement;
- Notify relevant authorities or regulators, where required by law;
- Retain documentation for auditing and investigation purposes.
4. Discretion and Right to Refuse
Meridien International retains absolute discretion to reject any client or engagement that, in our opinion:
- Falls within a high-risk industry;
- May be contrary to our internal compliance, ethical, or professional standards;
- Is inconsistent with the principles outlined in this policy.
Prospective clients unsure whether their activity may fall into one of the categories above are encouraged to contact us in advance for a confidential assessment.
