Dear Carolyn,
My husband and I just returned from the Bahamas and I think we are going to be separating. While we were in the Bahamas, my husband took an interest in the Bahamian Sand Dollar. I was not sure what the appeal is in this Sand Dollar, but I am concerned that it could be used to hide assets out of the country. Can he hide assets in the Bahamas?
Carolyn Answers,
Your question is timely, and the answer is yes. The Sand Dollar may be easy to hide for now. The Bahamian Sand Dollar is the new Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) of the Bahamas. The Bahamas is one of the first countries to issue a CBDC. China is close to issuance. In conjunction with MIT, the United States Federal Reserve in Boston is studying a U.S. digital dollar issuance. A CBDC is a cryptocurrency issued by the central bank of a country, as contrasted with Bitcoin or Diem, which are private cryptocurrencies.
A CBDC is digital and requires either 1) an account or 2) a digital wallet. A cryptocurrency in another country can be hard to trace in a divorce, but not impossible as far as the Bahamas is concerned. The trail for a Sand Dollar will likely be picked up from examining banking records in the U.S. and tracing to the Bahamas. Credit card records are also essential to investigate, as Mastercard has launched a powerful platform for using the Bahamian Sand Dollar.
Send your questions on family law and divorce matters to “Ask Carolyn…” at askcarolyn@rhinotimes.com, or P.O. Box 9023, Greensboro, NC 27427. Please do not put identifying information in your questions. Note that the answers in “Ask Carolyn” are intended to provide general legal information, and the answers are not specific legal advice for your situation. The column also uses hypothetical questions. A subtle fact in your unique case may determine the legal advice you need in your individual case. Also, please note that you are not creating an attorney-client relationship with Carolyn J. Woodruff by writing or having your question answered by “Ask Carolyn…”
