Mayfair Millionaire’s Row: Frozen Funds Spark Battle Over London Property
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In a complex web of claims and counter-claims, a dispute over £15.6 million ($19.89 million) in frozen funds linked to a London property has escalated into a high-stakes battle between rival claimants.
The Background
The money allegedly embezzled from Ukio Bank, which is now bankrupt, was tied to the sale of a Mayfair property worth £21 million ($35 million). The property, part of the Daniliskes development project, was sold by Vintage Holdings before Lithuanian authorities could seize it.
The Claimants
- Ukio Bank’s administrators are seeking to recover funds.
- Exclusiva General, a company based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), claims it is owed money by Vintage Holdings. Exclusiva is represented by Motieka & Audzevicius, a Lithuanian law firm with ties to Appleby, a Bermuda-based firm.
The Dispute
At the center of the dispute is Tomas Lesciukaitis, a former law enforcement officer from Lithuania who has worked as a public procurement specialist and owns shares in private companies. Lesciukaitis claims he is the owner of Exclusiva General, but his true identity remains unclear.
Leaked Paradise Papers Emails
Leaked emails suggest that Olga Goncaruk, Julija’s mother and Romanov’s sister, may actually own Exclusiva. However, Motieka & Audzevicius has denied these claims, stating that no evidence exists to support them.
The Investigation
The case is still under investigation, with 18 suspects alleged to be connected to stripping assets from Ukio Bank. Ukio Bank’s founder, Vladimir Romanov, who is suspected of embezzlement along with his niece Julija Goncaruk and mother Olga, remains at the center of the controversy.
The Outcome
The £15.6 million remains frozen, pending the outcome of the legal battle. As the dispute simmers on, one thing is clear: only time will tell who ultimately claims the spoils of this high-stakes game of cat and mouse in Mayfair’s millionaire’s row.