Police Airiston Helmi’s financial crime investigation stuck, krp is still waiting for answers to international letters rogatory

Airiston Helmi’s financial crime investigation is still stretching. On Monday, the District Court of Southwest Finland ordered an extension of the time limit for prosecuting a suspected money laundering offense.

An extension was requested by the investigating central criminal police (krp). The investigation is stalled, as the krp has not received answers to all its international letters rogatory.

“It has been a long time since we have had critical requests for legal assistance in international waters, to which we have not received any answers. Based on the answers, information will then be obtained that will resolve the matter, ”says the Director of Investigation at the CPC Mikko Laaksonen.

“However, this is such a big deal,” that some sort of response is needed through letters rogatory.

The district court extended the time limit for filing a lawsuit against Airiston Pearl and the one behind it Pavel Melnikovin until mid-July.

Last Friday, the District Court of Southwest Finland extended the time limit for prosecuting two other suspects in connection with a money laundering suspicion. For them, however, the district court set a deadline for prosecution in May, even though the krp had demanded a deadline for July.

Since According to the information in the real estate sector, Airiston Helmitoimi, a Russian company that went into liquidation and sold its properties, was registered in the real estate sector. In 2018, the police conducted an extensive and attention-grabbing search of the company’s and Melnikov’s properties in the Turku archipelago. At that time, the police confiscated, among other things, 3.5 million euros in cash.

The reason for the seizure was a suspicion of gross money laundering. According to Melnikov, money has a legal origin. His lawyer Kari Uoti has previously said that using cash is a normal way for a Russian millionaire to act.

According to Laaksonen, Director of Investigation, there is still talk of a seizure of more than 3.5 million euros in the money laundering case.

Airiston There is also a branch of tax fraud involved in the investigation of the pearl. According to Laaksonen, approximately EUR 1.8 million of assets have been seized.

Police have previously said the amount claimed for bail is a suspected amount of tax evasion and earnings-related pension contributions. Police have suspected the company of using undeclared labor to build the properties. Melnikov has denied the suspicion of a crime.

Seizure of bail is a coercive measure that can be used even during a criminal suspicion. Its purpose is to secure, for example, the payment of fines or possible compensation or any criminal proceeds that may be imposed on the state. Thus, the seizure of property takes property away from a suspect as security, for example, so that it is not hidden or removed from the country.

The deadline for prosecuting in the tax fraud branch is February.