Latvian Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has not found any facts that would indicate the allegations made in the film made by the Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny that the employees of the Latvian law enforcement authorities may have helped Leonid Nevzlin, the former management representative of the Russian oil company “Yukos”, target the Kremlin opponents in exchange for bribes.
KNAB told LETA that on the 11th of December, the prosecutor’s office received information that the bureau has completed its investigation of the documentary produced by the so-called Russian Anti-Corruption Foundation. During the investigation, KNAB did not find any facts that would indicate the possible corruption of the officials of the law enforcement institutions of Latvia – the State Police and the Prosecutor’s Office.
On the 12th of September, 2024, a documentary film was screened on the said website, in which it was told about the investigation into the organization of the attack on the representative of the Russian opposition Leonid Volkov. The documentary also contained statements about the corruption of Latvian law enforcement officials. In connection with the publicly announced information, the Prosecutor’s Office immediately addressed the KNAB with a request within the competence of the Bureau to assess the allegations made in the film regarding possible unlawful actions of law enforcement officials.
As previously reported, a documentary was recently released by Navalny’s associates. In it, they claim that they have received Nevzlin’s correspondence, which states that in March 2024, he organized an attack on Leonid Volkov. It also mentions how Nevzlin’s organized activities involved employees of Latvian law enforcement institutions.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation also found out from Nevzlin’s correspondence that he was involved in organizing the attack on the director of the foundation, Ivan Zhdanov, in Geneva, and the wife of economist Maksim Mironov, Aleksandra Petrachkova, in Argentina.
The film also contains allegations that Nevzlin, along with co-conspirator Anatoly Blinov, by bribery, has succeeded in bringing a criminal case against the former FBK CEO Vladimir Ashurkov in Latvia. In their correspondence, the two also discussed the Riga prosecutors, who will help them. FBK claims that it did not believe it, but Ashurkov himself told them that in March he was called to the police in London as a witness, where they were interrogated by Latvian police investigators and a prosecutor of a Riga district together with British police officers.
Ashurkov himself, however, reported completely different information to the Latvian media, namely that the Latvian law enforcement authorities interviewed him about the purchase of a mansion previously owned by Russian supporter Grigory Guselnikov and “PNB Banka”, the bankruptcy of which is now being investigated by ombudsmen.
In connection with the bankruptcy of “PNB Banka”, both the State Police and the bank’s insolvency administrator have initiated legal proceedings, in which they hope to recover losses of more than EUR 30 million from the former management of the bank. LTV told “De Facto” programme that the losses of 31.5 million euros consisted of the bank’s decision to release the owner Guselnikov from a debt of more than 12 million euros and his brother from a guarantee of EUR 1.3 million. EUR 7.2 million were credited by the bank to Guselnikov’s lawyers in the United States. The bank also sold its subsidiary Calleri Limited, which owned a fine mansion on the outskirts of London, without having to pay immediately. The value of the house is estimated at EUR 10 million. Vladimir Ashurkov, who resides in London, has been named as the buyer.
The press secretary of the Latvian Prosecutor’s Office, Aiga Eiduka, previously confirmed to the Leta that the Prosecutor’s Office is aware of the documentary available in the public space, which claims, among other things, that the team of the former co-owner of “Yukos” Mikhail Khodorkovsky bribed Latvian police officers and prosecutors in order to initiate criminal proceedings against the Russian opposition. The prosecutor’s office will not provide information before evaluating the allegations made in the documentary.
In turn, the Public Relations Department of the State Police (VP) previously indicated to the agency LETA that authorities is informed about the documentary available in the public environment and the statements made therein, which also affect the police. “We categorically reject the statements made about the possible corruption of police officers. While the competent authorities carry out the assessment, the State Police will refrain from further comments,” the police said.