Austrian prosecutors are probing into money laundering by the son of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov –Oleksiy Azarov, Austria's Die Presse newspaper has reported.
Die Presse learned from the law circles that Vienna prosecutors
started an investigation against Oleksiy Azarov in late February. Azarov
Jr., his wife Lilia and another Ukrainian citizen, tax consultant
Christoph G. from Austrian town Krems and commercial law attorney
Friedrich B. from Baden are suspected of money laundering and breaking
economic sanctions laws in Austria.
The publication noted that Oleksiy Azarov was put on the list of persons on whom EU imposed sanctions.
The Austrian Prosecutor General’s Office started the probe after a report of one of the Austrian banks on money laundering.
The investigation included the operations of Garda Handels- und
Beteiligungs GmbH. in the center of Vienna, which earlier was headed by
Azarov’s wife Lilia. She worked in Parkring Street in Vienna in a
gallery, and owned a stake in Vienna Deluxe Magazine until May 2014,
reads the article.
Prosecutors believe that Friedrich B. managed the Austrian assets of
ousted President Viktor Yanukovych. Responding to an inquiry of Die
Presse, he said that he did not violate EU sanctions and he does not
know crimes on the basis of which his operation could be considered
money laundering.
In February 2014, Austrian media reports gave
information on the investigation into money laundering and abuse of
power by former head of the presidential administration of Ukraine,
Andriy Kliuyev.
