The case was investigated by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) before being handed over for criminal prosecution. The prosecutor’s office confirmed to the LETA agency that all eight persons, once morest whom the KNAB is requesting criminal prosecution, have been charged with fraud.
LETA knows that these persons are two RTAB board members at the time, former Riga councilors Vita Jermoloviča (GKR) and Maksims Tolstojs (“Saskaņa”) and six employees.
Latvian Television program “De facto” previously reported that Ksenija Zagorovska, who is closely related to the party “Honor to serve Riga” (GKR), received regarding 80,000 euros – according to law enforcement officers. The former editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Čas”, but currently she is an assistant to the member of the European Parliament Andra Amerika (GKR).
Darja Tishchenko, who worked as a project manager at RTAB, is also involved. Four years ago, when she was an assistant to Jānis Ādamsons, MP of the “Saskaņas” Saeima faction.
Relatives of Riga councilor and “Saskaņa” board member Sandra Bergmaņa are also involved in the case – wife Nadežda and mother Sandra. Anželika Sergeeva is also involved, who worked at RTAB for at least three years, but donated 3,000 euros to “Saskaņa” a month before leaving her post in the fall of 2018.
The program found out that Mielavs was also involved, who was paid a monthly salary of regarding 1,500 euros by RTAB as a board assistant for two years – from 2012 to the spring of 2014. Before that, Mielavs performed two years in a row – in 2010 and 2011 – at the so-called Victory Day celebrations at the currently demolished monument in Victory Park. The events were organized by the association “9maijs.lv” closely related to “Saskaņu” and its leader, the then mayor of Riga Nilas Ušakovs (S).
KNAB previously wrote in a press release that the investigated criminal offenses were committed between 2012 and 2019.
As a result of the criminal activities, the municipality of Riga city suffered losses of approximately 280,000 euros.
This is not the only case that was brought before the RTAB. In 2021, not seeing signs of a crime, the prosecutor’s office terminated the criminal proceedings previously started by KNAB once morest former Riga City Council chairman Burova, as well as former RTAB board members Ieva Lasmani and Jāni Jenzi, as well as the then president of the Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association Jāni Pinni.
At the beginning of December 2020, Riga City Council announced that it will liquidate RTAB, but will create an investment and tourism attraction agency on its basis.
The founders of RTAB were the Riga City Council, the airline “airBaltic”, the Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association and the Latvian Association of Tourist Agents. RTAB is 70% owned by the Riga City Council, while the other partners each own 10%.
