This week Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) requested the prosecution office to commence criminal prosecution of former board member of Rīgas satiksme’s subsidiary Rīgas karte Pāvels Tulovskis and public relations agency Baltic Communication Centre board chairman Gints Feders for possible large scale fraud.
KNAB reports that the former state official is also accused of document forgery, whereas the head of the agency is accused of document forgery for personal gain.
According to materials of the case, the head of the municipal company together with the agency’s board chairman forged documents related to public relation services, which were never actually provided.
This way the two may have caused damaged worth EUR 43 076 to the subsidiary of Riga municipal public transport company.
The crime in question was committed between 27 July 2018 and 30 January 2019.
Feders claims the criminal case is unjustified, and promises to prove his innocence. He refused to provide more comments.
KNAB commenced criminal proceedings on 20 September 2021.
According to information from Firmas.lv, Feders is the sole owner and manager in the following companies: Baltic Communication Centre, GF Communications and Alfa Investments. He also owns 20% of shares in BB WakePark.
Former owners of Rīgas karte LLV include municipal public transport company Rīgas satiksme and France-based Conduent Business Solutions S.A.S.
Tulovskis worked at the company’s board between 2013 and 2020. Then a member of Honour to Serve Riga political party Aleksandrs Brandavs was also in the board of Rīgas kartes. He remained a member of the board until 2019.
Last year the company’s turnover was EUR 8 012 855 and EUR 20 229 205 the year prior. Company’s losses reached EUR 7 701 661 last year and EUR 4 444 042 the year prior.
In October 2021 TV3 programme Nekā personīga reported that the State Revenue Service (VID) Finance and Customs Police commenced criminal proceedings over possible tax avoidance involving ticket sales at Rīgas satiksme.
In summer 2021 VID arrested account linked to Rīgas karte.