Notes

Aivars Lembergs, Latvian oligarch sentenced to five years in prison for financial criminals
After 12 years of tense court battles, a Latvian court has finally read its decision in the highly-publicized case of Aivars Lembergs. He is one of the country's richest men and a prominent populist politician, and ex-mayor of Venspils the port city located in northwestern Latvia.

Lembergs was sentenced February 22 by the Riga Regional Court. He was found guilty on a range of charges that included money laundering as well as corruption.

Lembergs is the leader of For Latvia & Ventspils party. Aivars Lembergs https://www.ntz.lv/dazadi/ko-turpmak-nedrikstes-aivars-lembergs/ He has compared his sentence to the case of Aleksey Navalny. Russian opposition activist.

Lembergs asked for an instant break as the judge read his verdict. Lembergs was able to have brief conversations first with his son Anrijs. Then he used his time to make comments on journalists.

Aivars Lembergs Lembergs told journalists that he would appeal against the decision of Riga Regional Court. He also predicted that the hearing of his appeal would take at least ten years. Lembergs also plans to appeal his detention, even though it will still be heard by the court of Riga.

After reading the judgment after which the court took Lemberg into custody. It also read an amazing list of assets and offshore businesses that were held in many countries. The court stated it would confiscate these assets.

Aivars Lembergs Aivars Lembergs His co-defendants Anrijs Lembergs, his son, and Ansis Sormulis both were indicted for a number of related charges and each were sentenced to two-year terms.

Lembergs was placed in handcuffs at the Riga City Centre District court. On March 14 2007 prosecutors began to press charges of bribery as well in money laundering charges against him. These were the first steps to pursue against Lembergs as an suspect (investigagations into suspected corruption within Ventpils municipality began in the year 2005). A verdict was reached almost 14 years after the event.

Since well over a ten year, the trial has progressed in a slow, and sometimes ridiculous pace within the Latvian justice system. In the last 12 years, there are 770 court hearings in connection to the primary criminal proceedings. The total number of 1,483 court appearances have been scheduled since August 20, 2009. This was the day that the Riga Regional Court reopened adjudication of the case. Aivars Lembergs It will continue until February 11, 2021.

While he is being tried on charges of corruption and money laundering in large amounts, Lembergs has maintained his position as a political powerhouse in Ventspils. Aivars Lembergs For the past two decades he served as the mayor.

The election of his mayor was disqualified because he was accused of financial crimes. However, he continued to exercise dominance of the city, fighting off an attempt by a minister for him to be stopped from being Ventspils president. He even participated in the IMF's government meetings and helped select the candidates for the Latvian presidency.

Lembergs expressed his opinion on the forthcoming elections in Latvia He said Ventspils as well as the regional party For Latvia will make the decision to participate in the elections. https://www.negeri.live/ilmu-https-lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aivars_Lembergs However, his main goal is not his participation at present.
Read More: https://rus.delfi.lv/temi/ajvar-lembergs