Man faces long prison sentence for business dealings with Russia
Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 in violation of international law, the EU imposes trade restrictions on Russia. A businessman nevertheless concludes a contract with a Russian shipyard. A court now sentences him to many years in prison.
A businessman has been sentenced to six years in prison for wanting to sell refrigeration systems to Russia in violation of sanctions. According to the court, the Hamburg Regional Court sentenced the man for violating the Foreign Trade and Payments Act and for tax evasion. The court also ordered the confiscation of a good 5.3 million euros in proceeds of crime.
As the managing director of a company, the convicted man had concluded a contract with a Russian shipyard at the beginning of 2020. According to the contract, he was to supply ten chillers and two marine provision cooling systems for a sum in the millions. Although Russia had not yet attacked Ukraine at the time of the deal, trade restrictions were already in place following Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014.
The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control therefore denied the export license applied for by the businessman. Although he knew about the embargo, the businessman then ordered the equipment from his supplier's Indian subsidiary.
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The EU imposed trade restrictions on Russia as a response to its annexation of Crimea in 2014, which was considered a violation of international law. Despite this, a Hamburg businessman faced criminal charges and judgments for conducting business dealings with a Russian shipyard, disregarding the sanctions.
The businessman, serving as the managing director of a company, signed a contract to supply refrigeration systems to Russia in early 2020, despite the existing trade restrictions due to the Crimean conflict. Despite knowing about the embargo, he ordered the equipment from his supplier's Indian subsidiary, leading to his legal troubles with justice systems in both Germany and potentially Russia.
The Hamburg Regional Court handed down a severe sentence of several years in prison to the convicted businessman, citing violations of Germany’s Foreign Trade and Payments Act and tax evasion. The judgment also included confiscation orders for over 5.3 million euros in proceeds from the criminal activities.
Russia's actions in the Ukraine conflict, including the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, have led to international consequences like trade restrictions, symbolizing the reach and impact of international law and the consequences of criminal activities.
Source: www.ntv.de
