In Switzerland declassified, how many millions frozen in Bank accounts of the family of the ex-“regional” Ephraim

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Deutsche Welle

Money

Today, 20:03

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The prospects of criminal case against Efremov in Ukraine are unclear.

The former Chairman of fraction of Party of regions in Verkhovna Rada Olexander Yefremov is known for his adamant Pro-Russian and anti-Western rhetoric. However, it turns out that the family of Ephraim, as well as many other individuals from the entourage of former President Viktor Yanukovych, did not hesitate to withdraw large sums of money of dubious origin in the West, particularly in Switzerland.

This is evidenced by documents recently made public in the registry of the judicial Affairs of Switzerland, which has Deutsche Welle.

33 million into Swiss Bank accounts

According to the Swiss Agency for combating money laundering, associated with the leading ex-“regional” accounts in Switzerland, since 2006, received $ 33 million Swiss francs. These accounts, according to militiamen, controlled by the son of Alexander Efremov, Igor and his wife.

According to Ukrainian media reports, Igor Yefremov and his wife reside in Vienna. In the Austrian capital in July 2016 flew Efremov senior, when Ukraine was removed from the aircraft and sent to a detention center. Since then, the ex-Deputy is in custody on charges of separatism.

The money in Switzerland are controlled by the son and daughter-in-law of Ephraim the accounts of a number of companies from Cyprus, the British virgin Islands and Canada. These accounts appeared in the criminal case opened against Oleksandr Efremov in Ukraine after Viktor Yanukovych fled. According to the documents, which are contained in the Ukrainian register of judgments, Ephraim, accused of embezzlement of budget funds of the state enterprise “Luganskugol” in especially large size. According to the materials of the criminal case, Efremov had a illegal effect with the use of power in leadership “Luganskugol” in order to persuade them to cooperate with companies controlled by Efremov.

As a result, as it follows in turn from Swiss court documents, a state-owned enterprise bought the company of Ephraim, in the period from 2008 to 2014 the mining equipment for the total amount (in terms) of around 374 million Swiss francs. Often, companies Igor Efremov won the tenders, despite the fact that sold the equipment many times more expensive competitors, the documents in the court registers of Ukraine and Switzerland.

For the legalization of funds, according to Ukrainian investigators, the suspects used a fictitious company with a registered capital of 100 hryvnia, was in a residential area of the city. Dummy head of the firm has removed millions of hryvnias listed firms of Ephraim, and passed on these people for a fee of 200-400 hryvnia. A significant portion of funds, according to investigators, were displayed abroad.

A video interview with TSN Alexander Efremov in his jail cell

Policy

10 Feb 2017, 18:15

“Ukrainian Khodorkovsky”

Son Oleksandr Yefremov Igor, his wife, and they control the company within a few years were judged in Switzerland, demanding to unfreeze the 33 million francs blocked in June 2016. The Ephraim convinced the Swiss judges that the criminal case against Ephraim Sr. are “political violence” and even compared the former main “regions” in the Verkhovna Rada with the disgraced Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky. But a Swiss judge has refused to unfreeze the accounts. According to the decision of the Federal court of Switzerland on 21 March, published in the register of judgments at the beginning of may, the account of Ephraim will be blocked until then, until Ukraine can prove in court the criminal origin of the funds.

As reported by DW at the Federal office of justice of Switzerland, the Ukrainian investigators on the basis of the decision of the Federal court in mid-April, was transferred to the Bank documents or flow of funds into Swiss Bank accounts of Ephraim. Swiss law enforcement authorities also handed over to the Ukrainian colleagues with the materials of the criminal case on suspicion Igor Efremov money laundering, including the Protocol of the interrogation of Ephraim, Jr. This is the case in Switzerland was closed in 2015 for lack of evidence, told DW Federal prosecutors in Switzerland.

Judges who can’t read

The misty look and the prospects of criminal case against Alexander Efremov in Ukraine. Several years of investigation, apparently, almost did not come on. Only in February this year at the request of the investigator, the Ukrainian courts has ordered to grant access to accounts controlled by Efremov firms in a number of Ukrainian banks. Through these accounts, according to investigators, was bred illegally obtained funds “Luganskugol”.

Now at the disposal of the General Prosecutor’s office will documents from Switzerland.

Progress in the investigation, however, depends primarily on the persistence of investigators and impartiality of the judiciary. And before that, sometimes issues arise. In particular, in March 2017, the Appellate court of Kyiv city ordered the release of Alexander Efremov at will, recognizing the suspicions against the ex-“regional” is unfounded. In particular, the court motivated its decision by the fact that information on the results of public procurement, as well as a statement about crimes, which are contained in materials proceedings, is such that it is impossible to read through extremely low quality copy”.

Thus, if it was not a case of separatism, Efremov for more than a year would be free, because the investigators are not able to make copies of documents, and judges can’t or don’t want to read them.

Videoframe trying to escape to freedom: court of Appeal considers the complaint ex-the regional

TSN. 16:45

20 December 2016, 18:07

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