The Lithuanian Financial Crime Investigation Service (FCIS) has confirmed that Sergei Roldugin, a close friend of President Vladimir Putin who was named in the Panama Papers, used Lithuanian bank accounts to carry out transactions using offshore companies, the Meduza news website reported Wednesday.
Four accounts in Ukio Bankos, which was placed into administration by Lithuanian authorities in 2013, were used to move a significant amount of money, the FCIS said, Meduza reported.
Transactions relating to the shares of Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft were carried out by Dino Capital SA, registered in Panama, and Starcourt Worldwide Ltd, registered in Belize — companies identified as fictitious traders by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
When the transactions were stopped at the request of the seller, a “penalty” of more than $1.5 million was paid to companies affiliated with Roldugin, the FCIS said.
These operations are an indication of money laundering, FCIS director Kestutis Jucevicius said, Meduza reported.
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