US LLC for limited anonymity in EU?

[Corno]

I would like to ask a very similar question to this here in the public forum: EU company + US LLC for anonymity ?

This guy and I had a very similar idea. We are both living and working in the EU and don't want customers, competitors, neighbors, acquaintances etc. (the general public) know what exactly we are doing by searching our name in Google or buying via our websites. Problem is, as you all know, in the EU and worst of all in Germany, you are required to post a load of information about yourself on every commercial website you own, and then there are the public business registers. So if anyone looks you up online, they pretty much know exactly how you are earning your money.

To be clear, this is not about hiding anything from the tax man. I pay my taxes, I don't do any illegal business, not even "shady" stuff like P**N or casino; I just don't want my different projects (e.g. affiliate websites and unrelated digital products that I sell) to be linked to each other or to myself.

The guy in the other thread already runs an EU company and thought about establishing an additional New Mexico LLC that would be owned by his company and used as a privacy shield. I want to do the same, but (for now) as a sole entrepreneur.

I would a) name my NM LLC in the imprint of my websites (that shouldn't be a problem since I can't imagine that anyone in the EU would bother suing an US LLC over an incomplete imprint - those guys mostly look for easy targets); and 2. maybe use the LLC to accept customer payments in their name but on my behalf. I'd need to give written authorization for it to do so, I guess.

My questions are:

1. Would it make sense for me as a sole entrepreneur to establish a NM LLC and use it as a privacy shield for my website projects? The LLC would also officially own the domains and hosting (I'd use the LLC's info and pay with crypto).

2. If yes to 1., would it make sense to use the LLC to accept payments in its name but on my behalf (with written authorization) without the need to do additional filings in the US since the money is passed through to me directly?

3. Alternatively to 2., could I just use payment processors like PayPal in my own name but display the LLC's info to the customer? Like, the LLC is mentioned on the website, and when the customer buys something, he sends money to "[email protected]" which is actually my own email address and not the company's.

4. Regarding the other thread: What about if you aren't a sole entrepreneur but have a company like a GmbH, S.A., etc. Would it make sense to establish a NM LLC that is owned by your company and use it as a privacy shield like laid out above?

5. Do you guys maybe have a better idea for this purpose? No darks or hobos, please 🙂

Thank you for any input!

 

[fabian9000]

Basically, very good question and probably most of the people here (MG or public) are looking for something similar to solve.

Unfortunately, no one seems to answers this kind of questions..

 

[PinkCat]

I use US corp to own my EU company and operate with the EU company within EU since I thought that will be easier (banking etc)
When you look up the EU company, you see owner is an US company.
When you look up the US company you see only registered agent and director, no owner (seems that's how it works in the US)

So it does indeed give some privacy (you still have to declare real owner with your government and banks though) so only works for shield against the common folk which is what you seem to want.

However, you want to have the EU company on top and that to own the US company which will be user facing right? If that won't complicate everyday business seems to be even better, but let the more experienced say how much harder is to operate with US company in the EU?