It was late 2024 and, for the past 18 months, Martinez had been digging into the so-called golden passport programmes of Caribbean islands, which allow investors to contribute financially to a country’s economy in return for citizenship. They also allow companies that invest in construction and other projects to effectively become “wholesalers” of citizenships. Martinez’s film production company had become one such investor. But he felt he’d been swindled, so he had launched a sweeping investigation into the scheme.