Four workers of Latvian State Revenue Service (VID) may be involved in the criminal case regarding extortion of a bribe from Stiga RM owner Andris Ramoliņš, as reported by TV3 programme Nekā personīga.
As previously reported, VID Tax and Customs Police Financial Crimes Investigation Office’s First Department head Intars Štālbergs was arrested as part of this case. VID employee Inita Lūre was arrested as well. On top of that, Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) also performed a search at the home of VID employee Jānis Akmentiņš.
The programme reported on Sunday, 18 September, that
the criminal case also mentions one Valts Grundmanis, who, according to information from VID, is senior investigator of the office under Intars Štālbergs.
There was a criminal case against Ramoliņš’s family companies for tax avoidance was commanced on 13 May 2022.
At the same time, according to information from the programme, the Office of the Prosecutor General had informed the chief of VID Ieva Jaunzeme of the fabricated case in summer. Minister of Finance Jānis Reirs dismissed Jaunzeme on 15 September, following the news of arrests of VID officials.
The programme reports that there had been complaints and corruption risks about Inita Lūre’s quality of work in the past. However, she remained in her post regardless. In March 2022 VID and KNAB uncovered a criminal group that was selling expensive cars with forged documents. Taxes were not paid for them and the money was laundered.
Referencing unofficial information, Nekā personīga reported that one of the members of this group was Lūre’s husband. Searches were performed at their home. Since then Lūre has been suspended from her post. VID terminated her employment half a year later, shortly before her arrest this August. With Lūre absent from work, she has not been able to commence the criminal procedure against Ramoliņš’s family companies to extort the EUR 100 000 bribe. This is why it was necessary to involve other colleagues.
Štālbergs and Lūre were detained on suspicion of bribe extortion on 23 August 2022. A day later they were punt under arrest. Štālbergs denies his guilt.
According to the programme, Grundmanis was suspended on the same day as Štālbergs.
Sworn attorney Didzis Vilemsons told the programme that he cannot comment on his involvement in this criminal procedure, as he has signed a non-disclosure agreement.
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