Incognito millionaire in Belarus: links to Lukashenko’s environment and EU sanctions list companies | Deal

15 minutes the study revealedthat there is a million dollar “incognito” in Lithuania: Vitoldas Tomaševskis. An impressive wealth in Lithuania, Switzerland and Spain is associated with this Lithuanian name. And the origins of its capital lead east.

15 minutes The collected data shows that the companies related to V. Tomaševskis had shares in the Belarusian business of J. Čižas. Some of those companies were included in the European Union sanctions list in 2012-2015.

V. Tomaszewski related companies marketed Belarusian oil products, managed a network of supermarkets in Belarus, concluded a contract with the Belarusian state, participated in raw material projects, a pork factory and were mentioned in the project to build the Kempinski Hotel in Minsk.

In 2016, J. Čižas’ business empire began to collapse after he was arrested by the Belarusian KGB. J. Čižas was arrested while driving towards the Lithuanian border. Just that day, there was a private plane in Vilnius, with which we recently captured V.Tomaševskis, who arrived here.

Companies related to Lithuania are also on the EU sanctions lists.

Belarusian businessman J. Čižas was one of the richest people in the country, he was called in the media by the wallet of Belarus President A. Lukashenko and a person close to him. The businessman and Lukashenko played hockey together, and their companies received orders from the Belarusian state.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on Belarus for disrespect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

In 2012, to the sanctions list was included businessman J.Čižas. The Council of the European Union wrote in its decision:

Čižas is related to President Lukashenko and his children and benefits from and supports the Lukashenko regime, mainly through his Triple company. Triple’s activities are related to public contracts and concessions granted by the scheme. 2013 In June President Lukashenko awarded him the highest state award for his services The position of J. Čižas in the field of sports, in particular that he is a member of the Central Council of the Presidential Sports Club, Chairman of the Board of FC Dynamo Minsk Football Club and President of the Belarusian Fighting Federation confirms that he is involved in the regime. “

The companies related to J. Čižas were also included in the sanctions list, and their assets were frozen.

Another beneficiary of the companies mentioned has so far been unknown. Lithuanian V.Tomaševskis engaged in trade relations with both J.Čižas and companies on the sanctions list.

NefteKhimTrading, a company that markets petroleum products in Minsk and Brest, as well as Prostor-Trade, which operated a network of supermarkets in Belarus, were added to the list of sanctions imposed on J. Čižs by the European Union.

Both companies also have connections with Lithuania. Part of the shares in these Belarusian businesses were owned by two companies in the United Kingdom, where the last beneficiary now specified Vitoldas Tomaševskis. English company related to Lithuania Globecast Limited ruled exactly half shares of the Belarusian company NefteKhimTrading and another English company Redcast Limited held 33 percent. Belarusian shares of Prostor-Trade.

Other companies on the sanctions list had contacts with a Cypriot company

The main company related to the Lithuanian businessman V.Tomaševskis is registered in Cyprus and is called Redcast Holdings Limited. This company was owned by companies in the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and the Netherlands. The last owners cannot be identified.

However, for a long time between Redcast Holdings Limited shareholders officially discovered and Loreta Zakarkienė, also presented as Tomaševskaya. Along with V.Tomaševskis, it was also mentioned in the sentences of the Lithuanian courts: in 2002, they both owned property in Juodkrante, which was the subject of a dispute with the Lithuanian authorities.

V. Tomaševskis himself has loaned money to Redcast Holdings Limited. In 2013, he lent more than 8 million euros and is identified in the company’s documents as a related person. Companies directly controlled by V. Tomaševskis are also mentioned in the documents as related parties, they also loaned money to Redcast and carried out other transactions.

Cyprus Redcast also had shares in a Belarusian business sanctioned by the European Union. Belonged to the company 25 percent shares of the Belarusian company J.Cižas QuartzMelProm. The latter company specialized in the production of construction materials. By the way, Cypriot Cyprus loaned 8.7 million to this Belarusian company in 2011. euros

Redcast had also loaned £ 7.8 million before the penalties were imposed. He also produced construction materials for another Berezovsky KSI company owned by J. Čižas. The last company was later added to the sanctions list. Redcast financial statement showsthat the amount of loans granted during the sanctions period decreased, despite the fact that the EU decision stated that all assets should be frozen.

In 2015, the General Court of the European Union decided to repeal The sanctions imposed on J. Čižas and his companies, all companies were removed from the sanctions list. The court had no evidence that J. Čižas financed the A. Lukashenko regime and that public competitions and the procedure for awarding prizes were conducted in Belarus in a non-transparent manner. This court decision was useful to J. Čižs and his business partner.

“Mr. Čižas does not dispute that he occupies positions in certain sports clubs or that he plays hockey with President Lukashenko. However, he claims that these elements do not prove how he relates to the regime of President Lukashenko,” the court said.

The decision also states that J.Čižas does not dispute the fact that he received state orders and awards, but, according to the court, there is no evidence that J.Čižas has managed to do all of this due to relations with the Lukashenko regime.

Fuel sold to Lithuania through Cyprus

There were more contacts with J.Čižas. Lithuanian Vitoldas Tomaševskis directly controlled Cypriot company Hansel Trading Limited sold Belarusian fuel.

In a Lithuanian court case, the transactions of the Lithuanian company LBR Oil concluded with this Cypriot company in 2009 were recorded.

The Lithuanian company then planned to buy 30,000 shares of Hansel Trading Limited. metric tons of diesel that he planned to sell to a Swiss company for $ 19 million.

In court order The diesel fuel producer is claimed to be the Belarusian company TripleEnergo. This is the company of J. Čižas concern.

Sadychas Nurulajevas, the head and owner of the Lithuanian company LBR Oil, is now 15 minutes He said he did not know or remember either the name of the Cypriot company that sold the fuel to his business or Vitold Tomaszewski.

Other traces in Belarus: from the Kempinski hotel to a pig farm

More traces of companies related to Lithuania can be found in Belarus. They are all related to J.Čižas.

Dutch company related to Lithuania RC Invest Holding Was mentioned In the Belarusian media related to the construction of the Kempinski hotel in Minsk. This project was also developed by J.Čižas.

Direct director of the Dutch company RC invest Holding it is the first one Tomashevsky himself, and half of the company’s shares were long held by the related Cypriot company Redcast Holdings Limited.

Kempinski hotels are considered a brand of the highest luxury. Such a hotel has been under construction in the Belarusian capital for many years, but its construction has stalled for so long that it has been dubbed the “Hotel Ne Kempinski” in the media. Eventually the project was not completed and the building began to be sold to a Russian bank.

Another story mentioned by the Cypriot company Redcast Holdings Limited is the construction of a pig farm in Belarus. The Cypriot company had 37 percent shares of the Belarusian company Danprod. According to the media, Sergejus Čižas, the son of J. Čižas, also owned part of the shares in that business. In addition, in 2012 Redcast of Cyprus loaned 6 million euros to the Belarusian company.

In the same year, 2012, Danprod started building a pork meat production plant in the Valažina district, near Minsk. However, the locals opposed the construction.

“It is planned to build the pig complex according to Danish technologies, whose sanitary area is only 1 kilometer, regardless of the size of the complex. Many village houses fall in this area. According to citizens, the ecology of the region will also be seen affected, “he wrote. realt.onliner.by.

However, the complex has emerged and the company itself is now advertising on its website as a leader in pork production in Belarus.

Agreement with the State of Belarus

In 2012, two companies mentioned above related to V. Tomaszewski: the Cypriot company Redcast and the Belarusian company QuartzMelProm, two companies controlled by J. Čižas and the Belarusian state He signed a contract.

Under the agreement, these companies would carry out an investment project in Brest, the largest silicate sand and chalk deposit in Belarus. The agreement is signed by the then Prime Minister of Belarus, Mikhail Miasnikovich.

News.tut.by announced that the agreement allowed the state of Belarus to receive a series of taxes and other benefits for the project.

Eventually, the company involved in the project filed for bankruptcy, and J. Čižas’ business empire began to crumble after his arrest.

At a speed of 220 km / h towards the Lithuanian border

It was announced that the Belarusian KGB arrested J. Čiža on March 11, 2016 for tax violations.

A Belarusian businessman reportedly learned of a search in his office at a speed of 220 kilometers per hour. flew by car towards the Lithuanian border, but officers arrested.

It may be a coincidence, but on March 11, 2016, there was a luxury private jet in Vilnius, with which we recently captured V. Tomaševskis, who had arrived here due to business relations with J. Čižas. According to public flight data, the plane flew from Vilnius to Moscow that day.

In the next part of the study, we will describe the relations and projects of companies related to Lithuania in Russia. The Cypriot company tried to recover 65 million euros loaned to the business of the Russian magnate, and the salt mine under construction was outraged by the locals. Tomaševskis also appeared in the data of the documents of Panama, a company that was considered related to a deputy of the Russian Duma.

About research and sources

Birut journal Davidonytė and Ernestas Naprys, journalists from the Investigation Department, carry out this journalistic investigation for 15 minutes.

We rely on publicly available information, testimonies, and responses from story participants to each person.

The study used data from legal entities and property registries in Cyprus, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania. The investigation was also based on information provided in Lithuanian and foreign judgments or lawsuits, as well as on the financial statements of companies in different countries. Foreign media reports, social media accounts, testimonials and other public sources of information helped establish the connections.

In conducting this investigation, we tried to listen to V. Tomaševskis’ own position in several ways: we asked his representatives questions both in Lithuania and in Switzerland. However, their responses have not yet been received and all requests have been rejected.

The relationships between the individuals and legal entities described may have changed.

If you have more information on the subject, you would like to ask a question: you can write to the research team for 15 minutes by email at [email protected].