SLOVAK businessman Juraj Jariabka involved in money laundering in Hong Kong was sentenced to four years by a local court. Jariabka was proven guilty thanks to Italian journalist Antonio Papaleo, who lives in Slovakia.
Papaleo provided evidence to the police in Hong Kong last year that Jariabka hired him to launder money through Chinese banks. In his testimony Papaleo said, that he pretended to be a drug addict in need for money and Jariabka promised him €5,000 for being a straw man and open accounts on his name in Hong Kong. Papaleo secretly recorded his discussions with Jariabka and using his evidence Hong Kong police detained Jariabka in June, the Sme daily reported in July 2014.
Papaleo claimed that he reported the case to the Slovak police but it has not taken any steps. Then he approached Hong Kong police, which started the investigation.
The Slovak Police Presidium in July 2014 did not comment those claims and refused to say how it participated in investigation arguing that it cannot provide information without approval of related persons. Currently it claims the proof against Jariabka was insufficient.
“Information and documents were not sufficient for investigators to start criminal prosecution in this matter neither at the time when they were provided nor after their amendment,” Police spokesman Michal Slivka told Sme on September 12.
Papaleo was attacked by a group of teenagers on motorcycles in Phuket province, Thailand and robbed of money and his laptop in early July. The police however failed to prove any links with the Slovak case.
(Source: Sme)
Compiled by Roman Cuprik from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
