Walter Anderson (tax Evader) - MirCorp

MirCorp

Anderson was targeted by the United State government for investigation and prosecution after he founded MirCorp and arranged for the lease and commercialization of the MIR Space Station.

Anderson had been an ardent supporter of the development of commercial space activities. He had co-founded the International Space University, which has a permanent campus at Strasburg, France. The international Space University is celebrating its 25th year anniversary on October 23, 2012. Anderson provided significant funding to not-for-profit Space Frontier Foundation and served on their Board of Directors.

NASA actively resisted any cooperation with the Russian Space Agency and the Russian corporation, RSC Energia, which was the owner of the MIR Space Station. In 1999, the Russian government and RSC Energia, the owner of the MIR STATION were suffering severe financial difficulties. They could no longer support the MIR. Anderson negotiated a "lease" of the MIR Station on behalf of MirCorp, a company which he founded and began plans to commercial and renovate the MIR.

MirCorp signed up the first commercial space tourist to travel to the MIR station. MirCorp was preparing for a public offering which was supported by Barclays Capital. The funds from the offering would be used to refurbish and expand the MIR station for commercial operations which would include media, manufacturing, or orbit servicing and science activities. MirCorp launched the 1st "private manned mission" in history to the MIR to evaluate its condition and do some minor upgrades.

The NASA administrator made a number of public comments related to MirCorp Commercial activities. He claimed that MirCorp was utilizing resources which the Russian Space Agency and RSC Energia had committed to the International Space Station.

NASA and the United States Government pressured the Russian Space Agency to de-orbit the MIR and used both political and financial pressure. NASA officials made calls to United States corporations involved in space activities to warn them not to partner with or invest in MirCorp if they ever wanted to get another contract. On April of 2001, the MIR was de-orbited into the Pacific Ocean. MirCorp was only 4 months the planned date of their public offering at that time.