The Finnish bank allowed Rotenberg to withdraw money before EU sanctions

A bank in Finland Suupohjan Osuuspankki allowed Russian billionaire Boris Rotenberg to withdraw money from the account shortly before the introduction of EU sanctions against him. This is reported by a Finnish publication Ilta-Sanomat. The newspaper publishes photocopies of relevant documents of the financial inspection.

According to the newspaper, in 2020 the bank’s board decided to stop banking services for Rotenberg’s company Rinimex Oy due to the businessman being subject to US sanctions. But in January 2021, the termination of services was postponed.

In the spring of 2022, the bank’s internal control service recommended refusing to transfer funds to Rotenberg, but on April 4, the billionaire received his money. Ilta-Sanomat writes that the businessman signed an assurance that he will not transfer finances to Russia or the Republic of Belarus.

Four days after receiving the money, Rotenberg fell under EU sanctions. After that, any operations with the billionaire’s account would be impossible, the publication clarifies.

The amount of assets withdrawn from the Finnish bank is not disclosed. Data on why the bank decided not to follow the recommendations of the control service is not clarified.

The bank’s management did not comment to journalists Ilta-Sanomat the situation with Rotenberg, but emphasized that the financial organization works in accordance with the law and rules of financial activity.

Representatives of Rotenberg have not yet commented on the publication.

Boris Rotenberg moved to Finland in 1991 with his wife, who participated in the repatriation program. In 1998, the businessman returned to St. Petersburg.

In the early 2000s, Rotenberg received Finnish citizenship. At the beginning of the year, the Finnish mass media wrote that it could have been obtained without a police check. According to the data Ylethe application was not approved by the counter-intelligence police.

Boris Rotenberg and his brother Arkady are personally acquainted with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.