site.btaCorpbank Majority Owner Vassilev's Daughter Charged with Money Laundering

Sofia, August 16 (BTA) - Radosveta Vassileva, daughter of Tzvetan Vassilev, majority owner of the failed Corpbank, is also charged with money laundering in her absence like her mother. At present, the prosecution authority would not make an official comment but sources familiar with the investigation explained that the prosecutors have requested Vassileva's remand for 72 hours. Jurists do not rule out a possibility for requesting the arrest through Interpol.

Tzvetan Vassilev has been charged on 76 counts, including leading a criminal group and very serious embezzlement. He has been hiding from Bulgarian justice in Serbia since 2014.

Corpbank was hit by a run on deposits and suspended all operations on June 21, 2014. The Bulgarian National Bank withdrew its licence on November 6, 2014, when it found that the bank's own funds amounted to minus 3,700 million leva and its assets were impaired by 4,222 million leva. On April 22, 2015, the Sofia City Court adjudicated Corpbank bankrupt.

According to unofficial information, the subpoena was delivered last Saturday. A lawyer representing the family visited the Sofia Investigative Service, where it became clear that Vassileva has been charged with money laundering in her absence. According to the charges, in 2013 she acquired a flat through a donation of her father and the prosecution authority alleges that the money had an illegal origin.

Vassilev's wife published an open letter on the banker's website explaining the case. The letter is addressed to President Rumen Radev. The letter notes that the subpoena is not to be considered as validly served as it was not received personally by Radosveta Vassileva which is a violation of her human rights. She also noted that the charges against her daughter and herself have been levelled by one and the same investigator and their arrest warrants have been issued by one and the same prosecutor.