Filenews 23 January 2021 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
Huge real estate, as well as sums of money, amounting to almost six million euros, belonging to a person who was given a gold passport, were bound by a court decree recently issued by the Anti-Corruption Unit (MOKAS) following information and data collected and sent to the Chinese authorities, triggering the relevant cooperation.
This is the case of a Chinese man who was naturalised as a Cypriot with his family and is currently being investigated by the Police over whether criminal offences have been committed in connection with the actions of some to conceal evidence of his person. He received Cypriot citizenship in 2015 along with his wife and three children. The investor is wanted by the Chinese authorities in a gold rod fraud case and an international arrest warrant has been issued against him. However, he was granted Cypriot citizenship and he has subsequently made huge investments in Cyprus from real estate, and is reportedly currently in Cyprus.
According to information provided by the "F", recently MOKAS, in cooperation with the competent authorities of China and on the basis of a request for judicial assistance, sent following actions/information of the Chinese authorities by the Unit, in connection with a large-scale fraud investigated committed in China, submitted a request to the Court and secured a decree freezing/charging a large number of real estate and funds in bank accounts in the name of two Chinese. One of them is the one where his case is being investigated by the police and indeed the case is at a very advanced stage and investigations have been carried out in the premises of five persons.
According to the decree issued by the Court, the properties reserved mostly concern shops and several apartments.
According to estimates, the value of the reserved properties is estimated at around €5,000,000. The properties which were frozen were identified following an investigation carried out by the Land Registry Department, following the adoption of a relevant court order. At the same time, following the issuance of bank account disclosure orders, funds have also been frozen in various bank accounts, amounting to around €900,000.
