Refereeing at the IMF

So I am co-editing a special issue of Empirical Economics and one of the submissions relates to something that suggests finding a referee at the IMF. I emailed one person who was cited in the paper (a not uncommon way of finding referees, particularly for papers where the editor is not immersed in the literature) and s/he politely declined and suggested a second person, also at the IMF. That person also politely declined, and suggested a third person at the IMF. That person also (do you sense a pattern?) politely declined, but was so helpful as to suggest four other people at the IMF. So far the ends of the string have not joined, but I cannot be far from that. I do not know enough folks at the IMF to know if I am moving up, down or sideways in the food chain.

Sigh.

Addendum: add one more.

Addendum on Friday: I just sent out the 7th request to an IMF person.

Addendum on 7/26: the 7th person just agreed to do it. Hurrah!