Eight people, including famous musician, accused in RTAB fictive workers criminal case

Latvian prosecution office has officially presented charges to eight people, including musician Ainars Mielavs, in the criminal case regarding fictive employment at Riga City Council’s Riga Tourism Development Office (RTAB).
Before the case was submitted to the prosecution office, it was investigated by Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB). The prosecution office presented charges of fraud to all accused persons. Two of those people are once RTAB board members and former Riga City Council deputies Vita Jermoloviča and Maksims Tolstojs. The others are RTAB workers.
LTV programme De Facto previously reported that Ksenija Zagorovska was unjustifiably paid EUR 80 000. She has close ties to Honour to Serve Riga political party. The former editor-in-chief of Chas newspaper is currently an assistant to MEP Andris Ameriks.
Darja Tiščenko was previously the manager of RTAB is also involved. Four years ago she served as assistant to Harmony’s Saeima faction deputy Jānis Ādamsons.
Relatives of Riga City Council deputy and Harmony board member Sandris Bergmanis, his wife Nadezhda and mother Sandra, are also involved in the criminal case. Anželika Sergejeva, who worked at RTAB for at least three years, is also involved. A month before leaving the office in autumn 2018 she donated EUR 3 000 to Harmony.
The programme also found out that musician Mielavs is also involved. He was paid a wage of approximately EUR 1 500 as assistant to the board. He was being paid for two years – from 2012 and 2014.
Before then Mielavs participated in two concerts at the now demolished Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders on the 9th of May in 2010 and 2011. The event was organised by 9maijs.lv organisation, which has close ties to Harmony and then the mayor of Riga Nils Ušakovs.
KNAB previously reported that the investigated crimes were committed between 2012 and 2019. As a result of criminal activity Riga City Council suffered losses worth EUR 280 000.
In December 2020 Riga City Council announced plans to liquidate RTAB and create an investment and tourism agency. RTAB was founded by Riga City Council, ariBaltic, Latvian Hotels and Restaurants Association and Latvian Tourism Agents Association. RTAB is 70% owned by Riga City Council. Other partners own 10% each.
Also read: Musician suspected of involvement in fictive employment at Riga City Council