Prosecutor seeks fines for former bailiff and notary in case of defrauding an elderly woman

In a criminal case at the Riga City Court over the defrauding of an elderly woman, a prosecutor has asked in closing arguments that former sworn bailiff Rolands Veinbergs and former notary Inga Muciņa be punished with fines and temporary bans on holding public administration posts, news agency LETA reported. The case centres on a forged promissory note used to take money left over after the woman's apartment was sold at auction.

Sentences requested

For Veinbergs, the prosecutor requested a fine of 39,000 euros and a five-year ban on holding public administration posts. For Muciņa, the request is a fine of 35,100 euros and a four-year ban. Defendant Kristina Lucenko faces a requested three years of probation supervision, while Vladimirs Osnačs faces a requested two years and four months in prison.

The case against defendant Aleksandrs Sidorenko was split into separate proceedings because he repeatedly failed to appear at hearings, and the judge wanted to speed up the case against the others. His trial is scheduled for 2 November at 1 p.m. The prosecutor also asked the court to grant victims' claims for 43,400 euros in compensation for moral harm, to be collected jointly from all defendants. The court will continue hearing the case against the others on 11 November at 2.30 p.m.

Charges and investigation

Veinbergs is charged with fraud and abuse of official position, and Muciņa with forgery in office and fraud. Sidorenko, Osnačs and Lucenko are charged with fraud. According to the prosecution, the State Police opened the criminal proceedings in January 2021. A forged simple promissory note was used to force enforcement against 28,000 euros belonging to a woman born in 1932, money left over from the auction of her property. Investigators found the defendants acted similarly against a person born in 1964, taking more than 39,000 euros. Veinbergs and Muciņa no longer hold their posts.

What the TV3 programme reported

TV3's programme "Nekā personīga" reported that senior Eleonora Ļaksa had built up a utility debt to the company "Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks" of slightly over 1,000 euros. The court ruled in the company's favour and enforcement went to Veinbergs. Although her account held about 8,000 euros, he did not take money from it but sold her only home at auction for 30,700 euros. The remaining sum was not paid to the pensioner. A relative later found a promissory note stating Ļaksa had borrowed 28,000 euros from Lucenko. The programme said the signature appeared to be imitated, and that Veinbergs transferred the money to Lucenko's account in the United Kingdom.