The Special Police Department (SPO) entered Adriatic Bank and seized part of the documentation on its operations, it was confirmed to "Vijesta" from three sources familiar with the case.
"The business operations of a number of clients who operate in the West and who previously had business and economic ties with the Russian Federation are being examined," said one of the "Vijesti" sources.
Regarding the unofficial information, "Vijesti" requested an official confirmation from the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT), but as of last Monday, there was no answer to the questions about whether the operations of this bank are being investigated and what are the reasons for it.
Adriatic Bank claims that they cannot talk in detail about the reasons why the prosecution took over certain documentation about the bank's operations, stressing that they hired "world-renowned experts" for business compliance...
"Adriatic Bank welcomes and fully cooperates with all relevant judicial and regulatory institutions. We consider these checks to be part of a transparent process that strengthens trust in the banking system and ensures compliance with the highest global standards. To further strengthen our operations, we have engaged world-renowned compliance experts, KPMG and Kroll, who conduct comprehensive internal checks and assessments. In addition, Adriatic bank is in the process of implementing one of the leading banking software solutions in the world, which further improves operational efficiency, security and compliance with international standards. We thank the competent institutions for their promptness, as well as our clients for their trust and support. Adriatic bank remains committed to supporting the local and regional economy and looks forward to a successful and prosperous year in 2025", said the official from that bank, which is not under blockade and operates normally.
The owner of this bank is the company "Adriatic Capital LLC" from the American state of Delaware, which in January 2020 bought 7,1% ownership in the then Nova banka for 2020 million euros from "Azmont Investments", which was building the tourist complex "Portonovi" in Kumbor . After the purchase, the bank changed its name to Adriatic banka. Nova banka officially announced in March XNUMX that they are its ultimate owners Alex Schneider (Alexander Schneider) in dr David Genetsov.
In the latest Financial Report of Adriatic Bank for 2023, which is available on the website of the Central Bank (CBCG), it is written that "the sole shareholder of the bank is a company: ADRIATIC CAPITAL LLC, from Delaware, United States of America. The owners of this company are natural persons: Alexander Shnaider with a share of 95,01% and Julien Seban Georges with a share of 4,99%".
In January 2020, the CBCG did not want to tell "Vijesta" who the owners of the company "Adriatic Capital LLC" are.
"Adriatic Capital LLC was founded by two natural persons (citizens of Canada and the USA) for the purpose of acquiring a direct qualified participation in Nova banka. Their financial condition, as future shareholders of the bank, is satisfactory, so it was assessed that they are able to support the projected growth and development of the bank with their capital", the CBCG announced.
Former owner of Nikšić Ironworks
Billionaire Alex Schneider, born in Ukraine, was a co-owner of the company "Midland Resources", which the Government of Montenegro let manage the Nikšić Ironworks from mid-2004 to the end of 2005, when it left the factory under unspecified circumstances and owed the state a multimillion-dollar sum. for taxes of 2,7 million.
"Forbes" magazine in an article published in 2005 states that Schneider is a Russian-Canadian businessman who built a financial empire worth more than four billion dollars. In addition to banking, he is involved in the steel industry, construction, hotel industry... Forbes writes that part of that 1,4 billion money he acquired from trade in Ukrainian steel and taking control of the fourth largest steel plant in Ukraine called Zaporizhstal, which is owned by of the "Midland Resources" consortium.
Forbes writes that "Midland Resources" is registered in the British tax haven of Guernsey. Under that holding are the power network in Armenia, two hotels, a bakery chain and a meat production company in Serbia, a Russian steel plant in Volgograd, a casino in Moscow...
"Six months after he bought a steel plant in Montenegro last June (June 2004) for a thousand dollars, a $500.000 social program and a promise to invest $46 million, his CEO's car was blown up. Authorities are investigating the case, but according to Schneider, there are many suspects," according to Forbes.
"Midland" then got Željezara for only one thousand dollars, and the Government assumed debts of 60 million. According to the contract, two-thirds of the amount of the electricity bill was also paid by the Government, and the severance pay for the surplus of 500 workers determined at the time was also paid from the budget.
In Nikšić, on December 15, 2004, under the "Audi A8" owned by Nikšić Željezara, which is used by the executive director Vadim Aleksandrovich Leibzon, an explosive device was activated in the evening. The explosion happened in front of the balloon-hall under Trebjes, at the moment when the Ukrainian man was playing indoor football with his factory colleagues. There were no injuries in this incident.
The representative of "Midland Resources" Lejbenzon filled the pages of the Montenegrin press also because of the court case initiated by the executive director of the Group for Changes (GZP), later a member of the DF Nebojsa Medojevic, who sued him for defamation.
In December 2004, representatives of GZP accused the company "Midland" and the director at the time of damaging Željezara for 2,2 million euros, of not paying contributions and taxes on salaries, of selling products from Željezara to their companies far below the price and of investing little into modernization. Lejbenzon retaliated with a counter-accusation that the companies, whose directors are members of GZP, earned 450.000 euros each from Željezara. He claimed that GZP members were "probably offended that they could not continue to embezzle from Željezar", which was followed by a defamation lawsuit.
Before the elections in Nikšić, Lejbenzon supported the DPS candidate for mayor, saying that he regretted not being able to vote "for the only candidate who understands the needs and position of the Željezara".
At the beginning of 2005, Lejbenzon was removed from the position of executive director, with the explanation that he was assigned to a new position. After that he traveled to Russia. Shortly after him, "Midland" also left Željezara, leaving it in debt.
"Midland Resources" was one of those interested in the tender for Tivat's Montepranzo, for which it offered 10 million euros with investments of 50 million euros.
Good with Trump, and his partner with Putin
The non-profit organization "Investigaterussia", which dealt with Russia's interference in the processes in the USA, states that in 2010, Schneider financially helped the project of the "future American president Donald Trump, the Trump tower" in Toronto. Trump started the project several years earlier with the Ritz-Carlton company and a developer Bread Valdmanom, but when the media revealed that Waldman was under investigation, the Ritz-Carlton pulled out of the project. After that, Schneider signed an agreement with Trump on the licensing and management of the "Trump tower" project in Toronto. At that time, Schneider sold part of the shares in the Zaporizhstal steel plant in Ukraine and, according to the media, he used that money to financially support the construction of the "Trump tower" in Toronto.
He sold the shares to a group of five offshore companies financed by the Russian state bank Vnesheconombank (VEB). VEB came under US sanctions due to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Forbes states that Trump and Schneider did not know each other before the entry of the Russian-Canadian businessman into the business started by Trump before the election for the US president. "Trump tower" in Toronto was officially opened in 2012, and Trump and Schneider cut the ribbon together.
While he has business ties with Trump, his partner in Midland, Ukrainian Eduard Shifrin, received Russian citizenship in 2016.
Trump was first officially inaugurated as the president of the USA in 2017, and he won the election again this year and his inauguration is planned for January 2025.
Billionaire Alex Schneider was a co-owner of the company "Midland Resources", which was given by the Government of Montenegro to manage the Nikšić Ironworks from mid-2004 to the end of 2005, when it left the factory under unspecified circumstances and owed the state a multimillion-dollar amount in taxes of 2,7, XNUMX million.
Schneider also bought a bank in Serbia
In April 2023, the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) confirmed to the "N1" portal that the new owner of Expobanka ad Beograd is officially Aleksander Šnajder, who acquired 18 percent ownership of this bank on April XNUMX, by registering in the Central Register of Securities.
"Expobank, the former Marfin Bank, was also owned by natural persons - citizens of the Russian Federation Igor Kim, which had a share of 72,25 percent, while German Coj owned a share of 17,86 percent. The rest were small shareholders with shares of 3,18 percent or less.
"Adriatic Bank did not ask for the prior consent of the National Bank of Serbia for the acquisition of ownership that will enable it to have five percent or more voting rights in Expobank ad Beograd, but the prior consent was requested and received on March 29, 2023 by its indirect owner with an 80 percent share in the capital of that bank - Alexander Shnaider", the NBS stated in a reply to the portal N1.
According to the NBS, the applicant for prior approval for the acquisition of ownership in the bank is, in accordance with regulations, obliged to notify the NBS of the acquisition of ownership for which this approval was given.
"The NBS was informed that on April 18, 2023, Alexander Shnaider acquired one hundred percent ownership in the bank, which was entered in the Central Register of Securities Depository and Clearing, so this information about the bank was updated on the same day on the NBS website." , the NBS stated.
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