Latvian Mansion of Uzbek Ex-Interpol Chief to Become Kindergarten

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The Ropazi District Council in Latvia plans to convert a luxury mansion confiscated in 2018 from the ex-chief of Interpol’s Uzbek chapter into a kindergarten. Authorities seized the opulent property, which features gold-colored decorations and lavish furnishings, deeming it illegally obtained.

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Reported by

Eldiyar Arykbaev, Sanita Jemberga
September 12th, 2024
Latvia, Uzbekistan

The villa in the village of Sunisi belonged to Yury Savnikov who was arrested in Moscow in 2015 and later extradited to Tashkent. There, he faced charges of illegal business operations, money laundering, abuse of power, and corruption, according to Latvian TV program "De Facto."

Sources from the RFE/RL’s Uzbek service reported that Savinkov was sentenced following his arrest, but details of his verdict and his current status remain unknown.

Savinkov’s activities also attracted attention in Latvia. As “De Facto” revealed, apart from the mansion, Latvian authorities also confiscated over US$150,000 from two bank accounts, securities, and four real estates, all believed to have been acquired through criminal means.

The Ropazi County Council is now assessing one of these seized properties, with plans to transform the mansion into a children’s facility.

The municipality has yet to determine the funding required to meet the necessary educational and safety standards. According to “De Facto,” the goal is to open the new kindergarten in Sunisi next year.

“The plumbing is all torn out, the ceiling is torn out, and repairs are underway,” said Peteris Salenieks, a council member, in an interview with LTV.

Savinkov’s Latvian properties were first uncovered in 2016 by Re:Baltica, OCCRP’s Latvian partner. A joint investigation with RFE/RL’s Uzbek service revealed how children of Uzbek elites and secret service personnel acquired expensive properties and forged connections in Latvia.

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