The prosecutor’s office also arrested the liquidators in June “ABLV Bank“Former co – owner Ernest Bernis’ shares in companies, according to” Firmas.lv “information.
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According to the Economic Police Department for Combating Economic Crimes (ENAP) For the decision of 2 February 2021 to seize the property, it was established that 100% of the shares of SIA Cassandra Holding Company belong to JSC Syzygy Capital, in which 96.37155% of the shares belong to Bern. In view of the above, an attachment of 56,875,826 shares in Cassandra Holding Company worth EUR 56,875,826 has been applied to Berne’s property. Such a decision was taken to ensure the possible confiscation of property as an additional penalty.
Also in February, ENAP applied an arrest to the 131,639 shares of SIA “Jūras avots” owned by Bernis in the value of 131,639 euros in order to ensure possible confiscation of property as an additional penalty.
At the same time, the information of “Firmas.lv” shows that at the end of February and the beginning of March changes were made to the real beneficiaries of these companies – the true beneficiary of “Cassandra Holding Company” became Berne’s wife Nika Berne and daughter Asya Berne, but the real beneficiary of “Jūras avots” the winner was Nika Berne.
ENAP also decided in February to seize Bernof’s wholly-owned company, Bofo, as well as Omnia Analytics, a company owned by Bernis and ABLV Bank’s former Deputy Chairman of the Board, Vadim Reinfeld.
This year, on March 9, two commercial pledges were also registered.
Among other things, one commercial pledger is Asus Berne, the borrower is Bernis, and the debtor is Nika Berne. The maximum amount of the secured claim is 57,103,838 euros. Shares of Syzygy Capital pledged with the said commercial pledge. This commercial pledge secures the obligations of Asya Berne and Nika Berne as joint and several debtors to Bern, which arise or may arise from the maintenance agreement of March 5, 2021. The commercial pledgee has the right to sell the pledged property without an auction. It is prohibited to re-pledge the subject of a commercial pledge.
The second commercial pledgor is Nika Berne, the borrower is Bernis, and the debtor is AS Berne. The maximum amount of the claim secured by this pledge is also 57,103,838 euros. Shares of Syzygy Capital are pledged with the said commercial pledge. This commercial pledge secures the obligations of Nick Berne and Asya Berne, as joint and several debtors, towards Bern, which arise or may arise from the maintenance contract.
The real beneficiaries of Syzygy Capital since February 24 this year are Nika Berne and Asus Berne. At the same time, through Syzygy Capital, Nika Berne has also become one of the two real beneficiaries of ABLV Bank, along with the bank’s current co-owner, Oleg Fil.
The latest information of “Firmas.lv” shows that by the decision of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office of Organized Crime and Other Sectors of June 14, an arrest has been imposed on the shares of JSC “ASG Resolution Capital” in the value of 79,256,200 euros, the ownership of which has been indirectly strengthened through “Syzygy Capital”. Nick and Asya for Kids.
Also, the information of “Firmas.lv” shows that with the decision of the Prosecutor’s Office of June 14, an arrest was applied to the shares of Berne “Cassandra Holding Company” in the value of 59,017,237 euros, the ownership rights of which have been indirectly confirmed through Nick “Asika Bern”.
In March last year, the State Police confirmed to LETA that the State Police has 50 criminal proceedings for possible money laundering using ABLV Bank accounts, and in about ten cases there are indications that the bank’s employees may have provided support in money laundering activities.
Last summer, the police took legal action in connection with the possible laundering of several hundred million euros by ABLV Bank.
In the previously initiated ENAP criminal proceedings for possible large-scale money laundering in cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office, the Financial and Capital Market Commission, the State Revenue Service and the Information Technology Security Incident Prevention Institution “Cert.lv”, more than 40 searches were carried out in different places in Riga and Riga region.
The police also pointed out that one of the criminal proceedings had previously been taken over by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Other Sectors, and the investigation was being continued by the supervising prosecutor as a facilitator. This case is about the possible legalization of at least 50 million euros in ABLV Bank and it has 14 persons who have the right to defense.
According to previously publicly reported information and available to the Latvian Television program “De facto”, Bernis, businessman Andris Putniņš, Russian citizen Vyacheslav Ivanov, who is considered by the prosecutor’s office to be the leader of the international organized group, are involved in this case. It also includes a Swiss financier, several Belarusian citizens and Yevgeny Terjohin, the former head of ABLV Bank’s representative office in Minsk.
Agency LETA has already reported that, for the maximum protection of the interests of customers and creditors and taking into account European Central Bank decision on the commencement of the liquidation process, the shareholders of ABLV Bank decided at the extraordinary meeting on February 26, 2018 to self-liquidate, Financial and capital market commissions On June 12, 2018, the Supervisory Board allowed ABLV Bank to start the announced self-liquidation process. As of July 12, 2018, the European Central Bank has revoked the license issued by ABLV Bank.
ABLV Bank’s problems arose after the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced in mid-February 2018 that it planned to impose sanctions on ABLV Bank for money laundering schemes that had contributed to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, as well as illegal activities. In Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine. The report published by FinCEN also states that until 2017, the management of ABLV Bank used bribery to influence officials in Latvia, trying to prevent legal actions against it and reduce the threat to their high-risk activities. ABLV Bank has rejected the allegations.
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