The Wall Street Journal (USA): Germany asks Russia for assistance in the search for the former head of Wirecard

Germany has asked the Russian authorities to report, drove into the territory of Russia, the former operating Director of the discredited German financial company “AirCard” (Wirecard), Jan Marsalek (Jan Marsalek). Berlin is asking for help in tracing this man in accordance with the Interpol warrant for his arrest.

About this wrote on 22 July and a “red notice” issued by the international organization Interpol, the German government said on Wednesday in written replies to the legislators who came to see “wall street journal”. Lawmakers conducting an investigation in respect of “AirCard”, which last month declared bankruptcy after auditors found a gap in two billion dollars in its financial statements.

As of Tuesday, Russia has not responded to the request of the German authorities referred to in the written replies to the legislators.

The press Secretary declined to comment.

Lawyer Marsalek also not yet responded to a request to comment. To contact the official representative of the Russian government on this issue also failed.

The German Prosecutor’s office is conducting an investigation against former executives accused of fraud and money laundering. This month has been arrested three former executives, including the Executive Director of “AirCard” Marcus brown (Markus Braun) for many years led the company. The Prosecutor’s office has a suspicion that they colluded, inflating the company’s results due to the registration of fictitious income. Brown has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Marsalek disappeared from law enforcement. He went missing around the time when the company June 18, suspended him from work. At first it was thought that he went to the Philippines, however, the investigative journalism website Bellingcat and the German magazine “der Spiegel” reported that Marsalek may be in Belarus or in Russia.

This man a few years was a key link in business “AirCard”. He was responsible for company’s communication with third-party firms that were processed for the “AirCard” payments in markets where it had no licenses, as reported by informed sources. The profit from such partnerships were a large part of the company’s business, as evidenced by the documents, which read “wall Street Journal”. This focused investigators.

In its statement of 22 June “AirCard” stressed that little is known about the nature of commercial relations with third parties.

Red notice of Interpol is asking law enforcement agencies of all countries locate and arrest wanted man until his extradition, surrender or other legal acts. Interpol said it does not comment on specific cases and specific people, except in special circumstances when he’s doing it with the permission of the relevant member country.

The German government has informed the lawmakers at a time when Berlin was in a difficult situation, unable to react to the situation with “AirCard”. It resulted in the financial scandal. On Wednesday at a meeting of the parliamentary Committee on Finance, which was held behind closed doors, legislators with passion questioned Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (Olaf Scholz) and the Minister of economy Peter Altmaier (Peter Altmaier).

Last week Scholz presented a reform plan to strengthen financial control over German companies. It happened after Federal financial Supervisory authority has subjected to sharp criticism for inaction against the “AirCard”, although suspicions and damning information about it has accumulated more than 10 years. The plan of reforms in case of its approval will give the FCA additional powers to conduct investigations.

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