Conviction - Man supplies refrigeration systems to Russia: six years in prison
A man in Hamburg has been sentenced to six years in prison for allegedly procuring cooling systems worth millions for a Russian shipyard and evading taxes despite an embargo. The 57-year-old was sentenced at the regional court on Wednesday, according to a court spokeswoman. The chamber therefore considered it proven that the accused had violated export restrictions to Russia in 2020. He had concluded a purchase contract with the Kaliningrad-based shipyard for ten so-called chillers and two provision refrigeration systems at a total price of more than 5.3 million euros. The cooling systems had been ordered by the Russian shipyard for installation in two frigates of the Indian Navy.
The accused received the agreed purchase price and ordered the desired goods from a Hamburg supplier. He also reportedly applied for an export license, but was denied. He then ordered the parts from the supplier's Indian subsidiary instead - in the court's opinion in the knowledge that this transaction was also subject to the embargo against Russia.
The 57-year-old has now been convicted of two offenses under the Foreign Trade and Payments Act and tax evasion. He was also ordered to forfeit the amount paid. The EU had imposed a strict embargo on Russia in 2014 following the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
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The Russian shipyard in Kaliningrad was the intended recipient of the banned cooling systems, despite the ongoing international embargo against Russia. The ongoing conflicts between Russia and various Western nations have led to numerous sanctions and embargoes against Russia. The court spokeswoman emphasized the seriousness of the defendant's criminal acts, as they involved violating export restrictions and tax evasion. The accused's case will now proceed to further legal processes in Hamburg, as criminality surrounding Russia continues to be a concern in international courts. Despite the accusations and conviction, some believe that more needs to be done to fully address the issue of criminality and Russia's relationships with Western countries.
Source: www.stern.de
