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The distinction between shell company and shelf company is significant. Thread to explain:
A shelf company is when someone incorporates an LLC and does nothing with it for years (it sits on a shelf). People purchase these companies from the original incorporator for a higher price because it LOOKS like the company has been in business for years...
This can be beneficial for many reasons: It creates more options for loans, looks more enticing to investors, etc. But way too often shelf companies are used for nefarious reasons. To shield the true owners, to not raise any suspicion, to complete a transaction quickly.
As a whole, shelf companies are MUCH more suspicious than a normal shell company. The purchase of a shelf company shows at least some intent to bend the rules.
In this case, Artemenko (or someone affiliated with him) bought a shelf company that was 10 years old, renamed it, and funneled Ukrainian polling data through it to an oil company in Prague. Sketchy to say the least and many questions remain.
