{"id":20691,"date":"2022-12-13T15:26:37","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T14:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bird.bg\/?p=20691"},"modified":"2023-04-07T00:35:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T22:35:50","slug":"shadow-diplomats-seychelles-investigation-into-money-laundering-and-terrorism-worth-usd-50m-leads-to-bulgaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bird.bg\/en\/shadow-diplomats-seychelles-investigation-into-money-laundering-and-terrorism-worth-usd-50m-leads-to-bulgaria\/","title":{"rendered":"Seychelles investigation into $50 million laundering and terrorism leads to Bulgaria"},"content":{"rendered":"

Honorary Consul of the Maldives Hristo Chepishev, <\/strong>one of the founders of SIC Krasimir Bebov, <\/strong>the drug kingpin Christoforos Nikos Amanatidis<\/strong> – Taki <\/strong>and the brother of GERB MP Rositsa Kirova – Konstantin Varbanov<\/strong> are conducting an investigation by the Seychelles Anti-Corruption Commission for the theft and subsequently laundering of $ 50 million<\/strong>, as well as illegal possession of weapons and terrorism<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2002, the Emirates donated $50 million to the Seychelles, which was stolen. Nineteen years later, several people were detained in an investigation into the record-breaking theft, including the wife of former President Frans-Albert Ren\u00e9, a former finance minister, a former head of a pension fund, a former head of the largest state-owned enterprise and his wife a prosecutor, as well as a former head of the coast guard. The searches found a large number of illegal possession of heavy and light weapons, a huge number of ammunition for them, as well as live grenades, which adds to the indictment a composition for terrorism. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is the largest corruption scandal in Seychelles’ history, which has entered the judicial phase. The next hearing will be on December 14.<\/span><\/p>\n

The arrests came after a regime change in the Seychelles in 2020, when Wavel Ramkalavan was elected president. Until then, former President Fran\u00e7-Albert Ren\u00e9, who stepped down in 2004 after 30 years in power, had come to power in the island republic. The new government of Seychelles began to remove the skeletons from the closet and supported the work of the Anti-Corruption Commission established in 2016. The European Union also sends specialists and equipment. <\/span><\/p>\n

On November 18, 2021, the world’s richest Seychelseaur<\/span>, Mukesh Valabji,<\/b> was arrested., along with his wife Laura, who is a prosecutor. The arrest of the former president’s wife follows. <\/span>Sarah Zarkani Renee<\/b>. She was later released on bail, but the Vallabji husbands are still in custody, charged with stealing and laundering the $50 million grant, but also illegally possessing weapons and preparing a terrorist act.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this explosive dossier there is a thick Bulgarian trace leading to the circles of organized crime and the party GERB, which has ruled the country for the past 12 years, BIRD and ICIJ journalists found, within the framework of the project “Diplomats in the Shadow<\/a>“.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shadow Diplomats is a global investigation into honorary consuls led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ICIJ and ProPublica, involving 160 journalists from 56 media outlets in 49 countries. The investigation sheds light on one of the least studied roles in international diplomacy, that of the honorary consul.<\/p>\n

This first-of-its-kind global investigation identified at least 500 current and former honorary consuls who were involved in scandals or criminal cases. Some have been convicted of serious crimes or caught using their status for personal gain, others are being investigated for money laundering related to corruption and terrorism, and still others have been criticised for supporting authoritarian regimes.<\/p>\n

Who is Mukesh Valabji and what connects him with Bulgaria?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"\"
Mukesh Valabji<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Born in 1960, a former economic adviser to President Rene, in 1984 Mukesh Wallabji<\/strong> headed the largest state-owned company in the Seychelles – Seychelles Marketing Board (SMB), through which all imports into the small island country pass. He left in 2006 to establish the firm Capital Management Group. He owns the luxury resort <\/span>Zil Pasyon<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> on the private island of <\/span>Felisite,<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> telecom, ISP and cable TV.<\/span><\/p>\n

But also Valabji owned in Bulgaria (and probably still owns through strawmen) several companies with serious real estate assets, a check of the BIRD.BG in the Commercial Register showed. His partners for this business in Bulgaria are the Honorary Consul of the Maldives <\/span> <\/span>
\n Hristo Chepishev<\/b>
\n<\/span> and<\/span> the founder of the first company SIC <\/span>Krasimir Bebov<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, during the search of Valabdzhi’s computer, <\/span> copies of the passports of Christoforos Amanatidis – Taki<\/b> – number 331150126 and of Konstantin<\/b><\/span> Lyubenov Varbanov – number 331150139<\/b>. This is clear from the review of official documents in the Valabji case seen by BIRD and ICIJ reporters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Christoforos Amanatidis – Taki<\/b> He is considered a major drug lord and was wanted with a red notice by Interpol after his drug distribution group was dismantled. He is believed to live in Dubai, but also has a business in Bulgaria. <\/span><\/p>\n

Konstantin Varbanov<\/b> is the brother and partner <\/span> of Rositsa Kirova<\/b> – current MP from GERB and former Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly. <\/span> <\/p>\n

Taki and Lyubenov traveled together to the Seychelles in 2006, and subsequently separately several times, according to the documents in the case, which contain a table of the dates of their visits.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Hristoforos Nicos AMANATIDIS<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Konstantin Lyubenov VARBANOV<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Arrival<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

19.11.2006<\/span><\/td>\n\n

19.11.2006<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Departure<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

28.11.2006<\/span><\/td>\n\n

28.11.2006<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Arrival<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

13.11.2007<\/span><\/td>\n\n

21.02.2009<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Departure<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

18.11.2007<\/span><\/td>\n\n

27.02.2009<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Arrival<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

14.11.2008<\/span><\/td>\n\n

09.05.2010<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Departure<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

25.11.2008<\/span><\/td>\n\n

19.05.2010<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It is noteworthy that from 2007 to 2008 Taki went to the Seychelles, and then Varbanov. This is probably related to the dismantling of Taki’s group by the Bulgarian General Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime (GDBOP) in 2009, his escape abroad and his announcement as wanted by Interpol.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reason Valabji had copies of these passports is unclear. One possible explanation is that Taki and Kirova’s brother registered companies there with the help of Vallabji. Seychelles is known as an offshore destination and the “Pandora Files”<\/a> investigation reveals how the system works with the registration of a company in the name of “straw people”. The beneficial owner, however, must declare himself in the register there, leaving a copy of his passport. His name is kept secret, and as nominal owners of the company are placed the names of local persons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rositsa Kirova<\/strong> and Konstantin Varbanov<\/strong> have not only a blood relationship, but also a common business in the company “Danube Dredging Fleet Vidin<\/a>” and other companies. <\/span><\/p>\n