Notes

Aivars Lembergs of Latvia, an Oligarch and financial criminal was sentenced to five years in prison.
After 12 years of court battles, a Latvian court finally handed down its verdict in the high-profile case involving Aivars Lemmebergs, one of the country's most wealthy men and a prominent populist politician. He was also a former mayor of Venspils (a port city in northern Latvia).

https://rus.delfi.lv/temi/ajvar-lembergs Lembergs was sentenced at the Riga Regional Court to five-year prison term, forfeiture of his property and a fine exceeding 20 000 euros on February 22. Lembergs had been found guilty of a variety of charges including money-laundering. But Lembergs was cleared of all other charges in the lengthy complicated case.

Lembergs leader of For Latvian as well as Ventspils, has compared Lembergs' sentencing to the sentencing of the opposition Russian fighter Aleksey Nilny.

Aivars Lembergs Lembergs requested a break during which the judge read out the verdict of his case. Lembergs had a quick conversation with his son Anrijs before using his break to make comments to journalists.

Lembergs told journalists that he would appeal against the decision of Riga Regional Court. He also predicted that the hearing of his appeal would be at least 10 years. Lembergs claimed that he is determined to appeal against his arrest even though the appeal will be heard in the same court.

After having read the judgement and reading it, the court decided that Lembergs should be placed in custody.

The defendants with him Anrijs Lembergs, his son, and Ansis Sormulis were both found guilty of a range of charges that were related and both were sentenced to two-year prison terms.

On 14 March 2007 there was a media furore when, encased in handcuffs, Lembergs was taken to the Riga City Centre District Court, as prosecutors made their first moves to bring allegations of bribery and laundering on a massive magnitude against Lembergs as an individual (investigations into the alleged corruption in the Ventpils municipality started in 2005). In the past, almost 14 years on, a decision has been reached.

Aivars Lembergs Since well over a ten year, the trial has been moving at a slow and sometimes ridiculous pace within the Latvian justice system. Over the past 12 years, there have been 770 court hearings related to the primary criminal cases. From August 20th, 2009, when the Riga Regional Court resumed adjudication of the case, up to February 11, 2021 1483 court hearings have been scheduled.

Despite being accused of money laundering and bribery Lembergs was still the political kingpin of Ventspils. He served as the town's mayor for more than 20 years.

Aivars Lembergs The mayor's election was disqualified following his arrest for financial crimes but he continued to exercise the most authority in the city, batting away one minister's efforts to stop him from being Ventspils mayor with little difficulty. He was even a participant in the IMF's government meetings , and was a part of the selection process for people who would be the Latvian presidency.

Lembergs said that the decision on Latvia's participation in the upcoming municipal elections would be taken in his region party For Latvia and Ventspils. Aivars Lembergs But he said that participating in the election isn't his top priority.
Read More: https://www.santa.lv/raksts/privatadzive/lembergs-pec-iznaksanas-no-cietuma-izperk-partikas-veikalu-48073/