 Hampel started an "emerging markets" consultancy in Dublin, Ireland, but the business was stagnant in recent years.In 1997, Hampel set up in Dublin a company called Emerging Markets Research and Consulting Limited, and put one million dollars of capital into the company; however, the company never filed any returns.The company formed part of a business empire that Hampel controlled, and which operated in Sark, Belgrade, Cyprus and Canada.