Finnish businessman sentenced to prison for breaching EU sanctions on Russia
A South Karelian district court in Finland has sentenced businessman Risto Riihimäki to three years and eight months in prison for the illegal export of heavy vehicles to Russia.
Finnish businessman sentenced to prison for breaching EU sanctions on Russia
A South Karelian district court in Finland sentenced businessman Risto Riihimäki on Wednesday to three years and eight months in prison. He was found guilty of exporting 164 lorries and trailers to Russia in violation of European Union sanctions, according to 15min.lt.
Riihimäki's company, operating in Lappeenranta, claimed to have transported the vehicles to Kazakhstan and Turkey via Russia. According to the sanctions, transit was permitted. However, the court found that the vehicles were actually cleared through customs into Russia and sold to an intermediary company operating there.
According to the Finnish customs authority, the value of the imported vehicles was approximately 17 million euros. The court classified the act as a "serious violation of regulations" and stated it had been "exceptional in nature and scope".
Riihimäki and his company were ordered to forfeit 608,275 euros in proceeds from the crime and 6 million euros in assets related to the crime. The company was also fined 10,000 euros.
Riihimäki, who has been detained since March, denied the crime and claimed he had been defrauded. The judgment may be appealed, which would postpone enforcement of the sentence.
Finland's 1,340-kilometre border with Russia has been closed since December 2023.
Source: 15min