Prosecutor extends Snoras asset grab

  • 2011-12-22
  • From wire reports

VILNIUS - The General Prosecutor’s Office of Lithuania has been seizing the property of Vladimir Antonov and Raimundas Baranauskas, exshareholders of Snoras, reports ELTA. On Nov. 18, the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, fighting against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, was asked to help in searching for the property and bank accounts belonging to Antonov and Baranauskas.

The Egmont Group includes 120 country members. Some of the members provided useful information for the investigation. However, the state institution of Panama which is also responsible for the fight against money laundering did not respond, the General Prosecutor’s Office said.

The General Prosecutor’s Office temporarily restricted Antonov’s proprietary rights to the money and securities kept in the Banco Transatlantico (Panama) on Dec. 2. On Dec. 13, the General Prosecutor’s Office asked the Republic of Panama to restrict Antonov’s proprietary rights to his property in Panama.

The request for legal aid, together with its Spanish translation, was also spread through Interpol channels. Property worth 300 million litas (87 million euros) has already been seized from ex-shareholders of the bank and related persons.