Business magnate handed over from Denmark to Latvia following extradition request
In a series of legal proceedings, the Latvian businessman Gulami found himself in the spotlight once again, this time for an embezzlement case involving a large shipment of cotton.
The appeals court sentenced Gulami to six years and four months in prison for the embezzlement case, a verdict upheld by the Supreme Court of Latvia on May 14, 2021. Gulami's wife, Valentina, was also sentenced to five years in prison by the same court. However, at the time of sentencing, the police were unable to locate Gulami, his wife, and Karpenko, and they were not taken into custody.
The court also decided to recover 9,094,238 euros from the defendants for the benefit of the injured company "Logistic-Ekspress". This recovery is part of the efforts to rectify the financial losses caused by the embezzlement.
It is important to note that this case is separate from another criminal case involving the Old Riga hotel. The police have urged the prosecutor's office to charge Gulami and his wife in connection with this case of alleged fraud.
Gulami was arrested in Denmark at the end of last summer and was extradited to Latvia this week. As of the latest available information, there are no publicly confirmed updates regarding the extradition process of Valentina Gulami from Denmark to Latvia. Extradition cases often involve complex legal procedures, bilateral agreements, and judicial reviews, which can take considerable time.
In 2016, Gulami was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for one year and six months, and fined 9,250 euros for bribery in another criminal case. Interestingly, Iveta Bērziņa, a former Riga Regional Court judge, was fined 11,100 euros for soliciting a bribe in the same case. Gulami was also banned from holding certain positions for one year as an additional punishment in the 2016 bribery case.
As the case unfolds, it is advisable to keep a close eye on official statements from the Latvian Ministry of Justice or the Latvian Prosecutor’s Office, as well as press releases or news updates from Danish judicial authorities. Monitoring credible news sources covering Latvian legal affairs will also provide valuable insights into the progress of this case.
- The recovery of 9,094,238 euros from Gulami and his accomplices will help restore the financial losses incurred by "Logistic-Ekspress" due to the embezzlement case.
- While Gulami was arrested and extradited to Latvia, his wife Valentina is currently still in Denmark as of the latest information, a process that commonly involves complex legal procedures and may take time.
- In addition to the embezzlement case, Gulami and his wife are also under investigation for a separate criminal case involving alleged fraud in the Old Riga hotel, a case for which the police have urged the prosecutor's office to pursue charges.
