Austrian prosecutors investigate money-laundering case following AntAC appeal

Prosecutor’s Office of Austria in collaboration with the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine investigate money-laundering scheme that allegedly involves siphoning money from Ukrainian banks through Austrian Meinl Bank AG. The investigation was opened following appeal, submitted by AntAC in February 2016.  

According to information found by AntAC, number of Ukrainian banks that went bankrupt in 2014, managed to illegally transfer at least $200 million through correspondent accounts in Austrian Banks to offshore shell companies, connected to Ukrainian owners of respective banks.

According to information of Deutche Welle, money-laundering investigation on Meinl Bank in Austria targets at least 30 people, including at least one Ukrainian citizen, and one legal entity. Similar investigation is ongoing in Lichtenstein.

NABU also investigates same scheme of embezzlement of $39 million from Ukrainian VAB bank, formerly owned by Oleg Bakhmatiuk, trough Austrian Meinl Bank.