A Chisinau businessman deceived hundreds of builders and several private companies, getting credits for building housing worth 600 million lei at the connivance of the Banca de Economii.

 

Lawyer Aurelian Stratan said during Friday’s news conference at Infotag that it is about crediting companies that belong to entrepreneur Ivan Tomaily, which were operating within the period of 2006-2011.

 

“In the case I am working at, his company “Amtarex” announced about its intention to build two dwelling houses in Chisinau, People were paying on average 500 million euros per 1 square meter. The company had neither permission on building, nor even projects of facilities. However, the BEM Crediting Committee allowed the issuing of 89 million to Amtarex upon Tomaily’s word”, he said.

 

According to him, the fraudster was acting primitively but efficiently.

 

“Using people’s essential desire to get an apartment in the capital city, he was proposing them to sign a mortgage agreement on building. Then they had to transfer the sum worth the cost of contract onto accounts of his companies in BEM. Unfortunately, most of people believed him and transferred large sums. A number of private firms, which were solving housing issues with Amtarex, also were deceived. Tomaily was simultaneously getting revenues from two sources: from credulous citizens and from BEM in the form of credits allegedly taken for the objects built. However, none of the buildings has been completed so far. There are objects, which are 10-15% ready, while others – 80% completed”, the lawyer said.

 

In his opinion, such a long cooperation could have not happened without the knowledge of BEM leadership, in particular, Chairman of the Board Grigore Gacichevici.

 

“Credits used to be issued blindly. According to the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) regulation, before providing especially large credits, data on the company-borrower should be requested in the NBM and the Service for Money Laundering Prevention. Had this been done, it would have become known that all the companies, which were getting money from BEM, are related to a single person. Moreover, this man – Ivan Tomaily - registered all his firms on the same address in the offshore zone. And the amounts of credits and companies’ obvious affiliation could not help raising questions at an experienced financier. But BEM officials, perhaps, did not need this. They were acting in their own interests”, he said.

 

The lawyer expressed outrage by the fact that even now, being involved in the case on fraud, Tomaily has not been arrested.

 

“He has been released on written undertaking no to leave the city. He rides in a luxury car through Chisinau, accompanied by bodyguards. We are being told about the stealing of one billion euros from banks as about a catastrophe, while here one swindler stole 600 million lei, left hundreds of people without hope and he is still at large. We have been addressing to all the possible institutions – from President and Prosecutor General till heads of different courts, crying for justice and impartiality. Unfortunately, we received no answer”, the lawyer said.