Q: I am researching a company that has an incorporation in Colorado, but has a certificate of foreign business in Florida
When I looked at their annual report to the state it states their principal business address. However, that address is actually a Jewish temple and not affiliated with this incorporation in any way. Is it illegal for the incorporation to submit false information in order to gain a certificate of foreign business?
A:
Florida law does not prohibit the owners of any corporate entity to enter the correct information on the entity's online Annual Reports or other online documents. Nor does Florida law require the Division of Corporations to verify any information appearing on any corporate entity's online information documents. Why? Because there are way to many online listings--hundreds of thousands if not millions--for the Division of Corporations to "police."
Moreover, most if not all active corporate listings are subject to change by their owners or other authorized employees on a moment-by-moment basis, rendering it impossible for Florida to verify them.
So, rather than to try to do so, Florida law requires certain important information to be self-verified by whoever changes it, by imposing sanctions for perjury if intentionally falsified.
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