Corruption, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, USA

Vladimirs Vaskevics.

Latkovskis told LETA that the three American men attempted to convince him that the Corruption Prevention Bureau (CPB) is a corrupt institution itself, and that it is poorly investigating the Vaskevics criminal case and committing human rights violations. It is possible that the lobbyists hoped that Latkovskis could interfere in the investigation.

Latkovskis said that he agreed to meet with the U.S. lobbyists, because he thought they might point out to some kind of violations when Vaskevics was under police custody.

''I told these men that nobody can interfere in Latvian criminal investigations and trials,'' said Latkovskis. He also pointed out to the American that the CPB is made up of professionals. Latkovskis also added that the Saeima's Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee oversees the work of the CPB, but never interferes with criminal investigations.

Latkovskis also expressed bewilderment to the fact that Vaskevics, or persons close to him, have hired the U.S. firm to attempt to influence public opinion in Latvia.

As reported, Vaskevics was sentenced last week two years in prison by the Riga Ziemelu District Court for repeatedly including false data in his income declaration.

Vaskevics was convicted under the Criminal Law's Section 219, Part 2 – intentionally setting out false information in a declaration of income, property or transactions, or other declaration of a financial nature prescribed by law.

The court acquitted Vaskevics on another three counts, including laundering of proceeds from crime and unlawful participation in property transactions.

The criminal case was submitted to the court in the summer of 2009 by Prosecutor Ivars Krauze. The prosecutor said the court was provided with compelling evidence, and that materials in the criminal case made it clear that Vaskevics had repeatedly provided false data in his declaration of income in an attempt to conceal his actual properties.

According to the charges against Vaskevics, he did not declare part of his actual incomes, accumulated in the accounts of the offshore company Financial Europ Group LLC. Vaskevics used credit cards, registered in the name of his father Pjotrs Vaskevics, for various purchases withdrawing money from these accounts from 2002 to 2007 in amounts exceeding 20 minimum monthly wages.

Vaskevics previously declined to comment on the charges, telling LETA to get in touch with his attorney Ainars Platacis, who in turn called the charges "ridiculous".

LETA also reported, Platacis has been missing for one-and-a-half years now.