After 12 years of tense court battles, a Latvian court has read its verdict in the infamous trial of Aivars Lembergs, one the country’s richest men, an influential populist politician and former mayor of Venspils, the port city located in the northwestern region of Latvia.

Aivars Lembergs Lembergs was sentenced five years imprisonment with a confiscation order and fine amounting to EUR20,000 by the Riga Regional Court on February 22. Lembergs was convicted on several charges related to money-laundering and bribery However, Lembergs was cleared of all other charges in the long-running and complex case.

Lembergs, leader of For Latvian and Ventspils and Ventspils, has compared Lembergs’ sentencing to the opposition Russian fighter Aleksey Nilny.

Lembergs pleaded with the judge to be allowed to rest for a moment as he read the verdict. During the break, Lembergs had a brief conversation with his son as well as co-defendant Anrijs and used the remainder of the time to give comments to journalists.

Aivars Lembergs Lembergs said to the reporters that they would appeal the Riga Regional Court ruling and forecast that the hearing could take another decade. Lembergs claimed that he is determined to appeal his arrest, even though the appeal is scheduled to be heard in the same regional court.

After reading the ruling The court then took Lemberg into custody. It also read an incredible list of offshore assets and companies that were seized across multiple different jurisdictions. rus.lsm.lv/statja/novosti/proisshestvija/ayvar-lembergs-osporil-prigovor-suda.a412593/ The court stated it would take the assets.

Aivars Lembergs The codefendants of his, Anrijs and Ansis Lembergs, were also found guilty of various connected accusations. They were each sentenced to two year sentences.

Lembergs was confined in handcuffs and brought to Riga City Centre, District Court. Prosecutors made plans to accuse him of the bribery (and money laundering) in large quantities. Aivars Lembergs The investigation into Ventpils corruption allegations had started in 2005. A verdict was reached more than 14 years later than the incident.

For well over a decade the case has made its way in a absurdly slow pace through the Latvian legal system. In total 770 court proceedings have taken place in connection with the main criminal proceedings for the past 12 years. Between August 20, 2009 (when the Riga Regional Court began adjudication), and February 11, 2020, a total 1,483 court proceedings were held.

Despite being accused of corruption and money laundering, Lembergs continues to be a political kingpin both in Ventspils (where the mayor was the city’s mayor for 20 years) as well as within the Greens and Farmers Alliance, which he funds.

Aivars Lembergs Aivars Lembergs After he was convicted of financial crimes, his appointment as mayor was rescheduled. But he was in the position of power and was able to defeat a minister’s attempt to stop him from becoming Ventspils mayor. He even participated in the government of the International Monetary Fund meetings , and was a part of the selection process for candidates for the Latvian presidency.

Lembergs declared that Latvia’s municipal elections are pending and that the decision regarding participation will be made by the local party For Latvia & Ventspils. Aivars Lembergs However, he said that his vote is not his primary priority.