In Lisbon already a month in jail the Russian businessman, the President of football club “Leiria” Alexander Tolstikov. Local judicial authorities have accused the businessman of money laundering, organizing a criminal group and tax crimes. .<url>” I understand, as a citizen of Russia was in such a difficult situation and how it can come back to haunt the national football.
History
Portuguese life of Alexander Tolstikov began in September 2014, when the Russian businessman, the President of the sports Agency D-Sports signed an investment agreement with the football club “Leiria”. To pay attention to this command, he was advised by a well-known trainer who personally participated in the primary sports of audit the Portuguese club.
In the process of negotiations, agreement was reached: Tolstikov invests money in exchange for a controlling stake, as well as undertakes obligations to repay debt, which at that time had accumulated about 400 thousand euros. For the credibility of the far-reaching plans, the Russians moved to Leiria, received the residence permit and sat at the Desk below in the shortest possible time to master the Portuguese language.
In the management of the club were invited two Russian partner and two Portuguese: Rui, Lisboa — President of the club (at the time) and Vitor Silva — Vice-President in charge of finances. To provide legal and financial purity of the activities of the club, Tolstikov hired to support Portuguese and Portuguese lawyers of the financier.
In his debut season 2014/2015 Tolstikova the company DS-Investment fully financed the activities of Leiria, the Portuguese side has not invested a single Euro. Moreover, for 2015 DS-Investment repaid a longstanding debt of the football club in front of the municipality, tax authorities and banks. Also, the Russian businessman took under his wing a local football Academy, personally visiting most of the matches.
Run the team in his debut season, following “Leiria” to the latest rounds was a contender for promotion to the grade and only in the final match failed to qualify to the second division after failing to beat a direct competitor. Encounter against Casa Pia ended in a draw (1:1), and the results of the individual tournament for the two vacant places “Leiria” took fourth place, behind the second “Casa Pia” on two points. The matches of the last rounds coincided with the unexpected arrest Tolstikova, which hurt the team shocked the players and the coaching staff was not mentally prepared for the final meeting, the map of which has been supplied by the promotion.
The players of the football club “Leiria”
Photo: União Desportiva de Leiria
The theater of the absurd
Alexander Tolstikov was arrested may 4 by the local police on suspicion of money laundering, organizing a criminal group and tax crimes with the help of club Sergey Renita and Portuguese Pedro Violante managing Director Leiria on financial issues. Later, the Portuguese were released by the court, the Russians, despite the request of lawyers, are still under arrest. During this time, the judge several times changed their decisions from arrest to indulgences in the form of house arrest. However, until now, and Tolstikov, and Renitsa are behind bars awaiting an appeal lawyer that the court does not hurry to consider. Portuguese police also behaves surprisingly static in the month, not one or the other of the helper loud enough for Portugal, the case never questioned, despite the fact that the Portuguese Violante managed to let go.
The essence of the claims the Respondent is quite vague and not fleshed out, especially given the inconsistencies of many of the arguments of the claimant about illegitimacy of actions of the Russian businessman. So, for example, accusing him of money laundering, the police did not even bother to ask about the origin of invested in “Leiria” means. The defendant, according to information obtained from lawyers Tolstikova, ready at any moment to provide all financial documents upon request, but such actions on the part of the prosecution has still not followed as not followed formal requests to the Bank with all necessary information. It is important to note that European banks carefully check their clients and the operations they conduct, and to date the Bank has not had any issues and claims against the company DS-Investment.
The history with the arrest of Sergei Renice all smacks of absurdity, as he did not take the club any management decisions and were not part of the governing structure of Leiria.
Alexander Tolstikov (second from left) together with the staff of FC “Leiria”
Photo: Alexander Tolstikov page in Facebook
The police have no evidence that invested in the club, the money was the proceeds of crime. The prosecution’s case is built only on assumptions. The Portuguese judge who took the decision to arrest, forgot about the presumption of innocence, which apparently is not valid in Portugal, and forced the lawyer Tolstikova prove the purity of the origin of money. All documents requested by the lawyer provided, however, the court is not in a hurry to consider them.
As for the charges of forming a criminal group and of having links with the Russian mafia, the Portuguese police would be enough to make the request of the Russian colleagues and to find out whether Alexander Tolstikov in the “development”. But here, the Portuguese chose passive tactics, taking as evidence the expensive “Mercedes”, which went to a businessman, and a large apartment, which, incidentally, the businessman was shot. If you do seriously suspect the Russians in connection with the mafia, it would be difficult to understand why such a serious person involved could not afford to buy housing rather than rent.
Deprived of the evidence and allegations of tax fraud, as for the financial issues in Leiria answered the above mentioned Pedro Violante, who, by a strange whim of the investigation has already been released. The Russian entrepreneur has taken on the role of sporting Director of the club, simultaneously engaged in search of sponsors, marketing and even selection.
Punishment without guilt
The situation, which was a Russian businessman who was extremely unpleasant and reminiscent of a raider seizure of domestic 90s, when the head of a large factory were imprisoned, bankrupted plant, then buy for a pittance. Surprisingly, this is repeated in the XXI century in a civilized European country, it’s surprising that the arrest Tolstikova coincided with the decisive matches “Leiria” for the second division, hitting the team at the crucial moment. The destabilization of the situation led to the fact that the players eventually are unable to perform the task.
The main question that remains unanswered: who so greatly annoy ordinary Russian businessman who has over a year of club the bankrupt made the team that the move hardly solved the problem in class, fall in love with local fans and has become an excellent platform for running the Russian players?
Of course, unhappy with the arrival of Russians enough. Initial talks on acquisition of majority stake lasted a few months. The Portuguese side did not want to give the reins of power, but in the end still agreed, however, for one and a half years of serious help from her never came. As admitted in an interview with the Russian businessman, in the process often had to fight against windmills and try to break the wall of distrust erected by the Portuguese authorities.
Fans of football club “Leiria”
Photo: União Desportiva de Leiria
It is difficult to say anything with absolute certainty, but from the outside the situation looks like this: their active activities of the Russian businessman Tolstikov crossed the road to one of the local influential people, who, after waiting a time, struck at the right time, undoing a year and a half. Paradoxical and the production process. The entrepreneur was first arrested, presented a lot of accusations, put under arrest, and then began to understand and look for evidence of his guilt. This is such an amazing and mysterious judicial practice in Portugal.
Lately it has become fashionable to find a Russian trace in everything and everywhere. The same doping eating all but caught only Russian. And then it turns out that every Russian, and even with the money, are automatically suspected of involvement in the mafia. Apparently, about the usual business processes, the Portuguese never heard.
This story is still a blow to the Russian football. In “Leiria” went for play practice, many young athletes are deprived of it at home. Through the “Leiria” they can grow to bigger clubs and to the national team — these conditions already: Vitaly Lystsov through the “Leiria” has passed in “Benfica”. These young guys could play for the Russian national team at the home world Cup 2018. Whether in the present question.
