Ventspils City Council's funds in the amount of EUR 50,000 may have been used for private individuals or companies' needs - KNAB

RIGA - The Corruption Prevention Bureau's (KNAB) officers believe that Ventspils City Council's funds may have been used for private individuals or companies' needs, and the municipality may have sustained damages of EUR 50,000 as a result.

The Corruption Prevention Bureau carried out criminal procedural actions - but not searches - in Ventspils on Wednesday, including at the Ventspils City Council, as part of a criminal case on abuse of power after learning from several sources that Ventspils City Council's funds might have been used for private individuals or companies' needs.

The criminal case was opened in August 2020.

At the moment, one person in the criminal case has the right to defense.

Ventspils City Council told LETA on Wednesday that the Corruption Prevention Bureau's activities were not related to a guilty verdict against Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs (For Latvia and Ventspils) issued by the Riga Regional Court on February 22, adding that it would offer no further comment so as not to impede investigation in the case.