The Supreme Court (Senate) Department of Criminal Cases has left the Rīga Regional Court verdict unchanged, which sentences Daugavpils resident Artem Skripnik to five years in jail for taking part in the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine by training new soldiers, according to rhe LETA news agency on December 12.
On November 8 the State Revenue (VID) Tax and Customs Police Department began criminal proceedings against a criminal group for tax avoidance and money laundering, which created losses of more than 325 000 euros for the national budget, VID announced on December 13.
Following the news that Latvian businessman-politician Aivars Lembergs has been placed on a United States Department of the Treasury blacklist, freezing his assets and those of several entities linked to him, the U.S. Department of State has added to his woes by barring several members of his immediate family from entering the U.S,, too.
Colorful Latvian buinessman-cum-politician Aivars Lembergs responded to being placed on the United States sanctions list December 10.
Aivars Lembergs, long-time big cheese in the port city of Ventspils, was named as the target of United States sanctions December 9, on International Anti-Corruption Day.
Rīga City Council announced on November 28 that the Riga Central Market, which it controls, has terminated its tenancy agreement with the company Tirdzniecības nams Latgales priekšpilsēta (Latgale Suburb Trading House) after several searches were conducted on their premises related to the illicit trafficking of cigarettes. They have until January 13 to evacuate the territory.
LTV's investigative journalism program Forbidden Method (Aizliegtais Paņēmiens) has produced another notable scoop after conducting a six-month operation in which reporters infiltrated the Riga Central Market's illicit cigarette mafia, releasing the first of several episodes covering the 12,000-euro-per-month operation on November 25.
The Riga Central Market was searched on November 21 and several people were arrested, according to the State Police. LTV adds that the market’s Internal Security Department Director Maksims Danovskis was also searched. He was appointed to the board only a week earlier.
On Thursday, November 21 Saeima adopted amendments to the Criminal Law in the final reading, which would allow for more effective investigation of financial and economic crimes, according to information from the parliamentary Press Service.
It’s been six years since the Maxima supermarket roof collapse in Zolitūde in which 54 people lost their lives. However the ongoing criminal case resulting from that dreadful event continues to frustrate victims' families and loved ones, reported Latvian Radio November 21.
The Prosecutor's Office will prosecute foster parents who have physically and emotionally abused eight foster children over several years, including two underage girls whom the foster father sexually abused, according to LETA.
Latvia's tax authority, the State Revenue Service (VID) said November 13 it had launched criminal proceedings for large scale money laundering against an unnamed Russian citizen.
Latvia has more more homicides per head of population than anywhere else in the European Union, according to latest information published by Eurostat November 6.
The Latvian Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has conducted procedural operations, including a sanctioned search of the Preiļi District Council offices, according to information reported by LTV on November 5.
The Latvian government on November 5 supported a Justice Ministry plan to establish a specialized economic affairs court that will start operating as of January 1, 2021.
The bribery case against the Bank of Latvia Governor Ilmārs Rimšēvičs will continue on December 20, it was decided at an initial case hearing November 4, at which the court also turned down a request by Rimšēvičs' defense counsel that hearings should continue behind closed doors.
One of the highest-profile trials in Latvian history got under way November 4 with central bank governor and European Central Bank governing council member Ilmārs Rimšēvičs appearing in court in Jūrmala on charges of corruption and money-laundering, alongside businessman Maris Martinsons, reported LTV.
The former mayor of Latvia's second largest city, Daugavpils, has been detained by officers of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Burea (KNAB), Latvia's dedicated anti-graft force, LTV reported October 9. It named politician Rihards Eigims as the detainee.
The Prosecutor General's Office has renewed charges against Jurmala Mayor Gatis Truksnis (Greens and Farmers Union) for alleged illegal financing to the Union of Greens and Farmers, LETA learned from the prosecutor's office.
The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) on October 3 released Edgars Strods, a former board member of Latvijas Valsts Celi (LVC) state road management company, and businessman Armands Zeihmanis from a police detention facility, the LETA newswire said.
After a bloody double murder in Madona municipality, Latvia's police want to step up public involvement in reporting gun owners with addiction problems.
The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) on October 1 detained Edgars Strods, a board member of the Latvijas Valsts Ceļi (Latvian State Roads, LVC) state road agency, according to information at the disposal of the LETA newswire.
Riga Vidzeme District Court Judge Imants Dzenis on September 24 upheld the dismissal of prosecutor Uldis Cinkmanis, as demanded by former insolvency administrator Māris Sprūds' attorney, reported the LETA newswire.
A man suspected of a double murder in north-eastern Latvia has died within hours of being arrested by police.
On the evening of September 23 an armed man was detained as a result of a large-scale operation in Madona country on suspicion of a double murder, the State Police representative Simona Grāvīte reported.
After two people were found to have been subjected to exploitation while working as milkers at a farm in Latvia's Vidzeme cultural region, their boss has been sentenced to two years' suspended imprisonment, reported LETA September 20 citing court sources.
On September 18 the Vidzeme District Court in Cēsis reviewed the first case in Latvia in which someone has been accused of human trafficking and exploitation. The owner of the Mežmaļi farm in Vaive parish near Cēsis stands accused for reducing two people to servitude. The defense pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor asked for the man to be jailed for two and a half years, but the representative of the two workers sought four years' imprisonment, LTV reported September 18.
Latvian Ppesident Egils Levits has issued his first presidential pardon, his office announced September 18.
Latvian State Police have released footage of a pursuit through the streets of Liepāja in which they chase down and apprehend a motorcyclist who was found to be over the drink-drive limit.
A two-year-old boy has been rescued after his parents from Latvia were found dead earlier this week in a suspected murder-suicide in England, British media report.