Man who sold the “Moon”: Loophole in outer space treaty.
Dennis M. Hope runs a real estate agency. His agency “The Lunar Embassy” have sold 600 acres of land and made 11 million dollars in revenue in last three decade.
He started his company back in 1970s. He was divorced and running out of cash he ended up going to community college and researching about real estates soon he started to realise about all those lands in the moon and he did research about the Outer space treaty of 1967 which states that “no nation is allowed to claim any property on celestial bodies including moon” but it do not mention whether the rules apply to an individual or not. In 1980 , the businessman filed a declaration of ownership for the moon with the United Nations, he haven't received any reply from them.
His company is an established company with 2 full timers, 27 resellers and 6 ambassadors. He also claims that many popular celebrities have purchased property from him. Including tom cruise and George W Bush.
In-order to protect his property he have established a government where he is the president and the government is called Galactic Government. They also have flag of their own.
In 2017, when china was planning to build a moon colony, Hopes announced that they can not establish any facility in the moon without proper licence from his agency.
He also claims that he was offered $50 million to buy the north pole of the moon but he declined as its a historical landmark and not for sale.
Hope, has also claimed Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter’s moon Io, and Pluto.
Reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/opinion/the-man-who-sells-the-moon.html
