Czech police reportedly detained convicted drug trafficker Thomas Zilikovsky and seized the assets in escalation of a multi-million-dollar Bitcoin donation investigation into the Department of Justice, which caused a political crisis three months ago.
As part of the prosecutors, the National Centre for Fighting Organized Crime on Thursday said it is currently focusing on alleged money laundering and illegal drug trafficking.
The investigation, supervised by the High Prosecutor’s Office in Oromouk, was recently separated from a wider investigation disclosed in May.
Zilikovsky, identified by local media as a donor of 468 Bitcoin at the time, was rated at around $45 million and was detained by the Department of Justice on Breclav’s property. ECHO24.
The donation made earlier this year was accepted by then Minister of Justice Pavel Brazek, without confirming its origins.
Brezek resigned amid growing criticism after media revealed that funds had come from Zilikovsky, a convicted darknet operator who was jailed for drug trafficking.
An audit commissioned by Blazek’s successor, Eva Decroix, concluded in July that gifts should not be accepted due to the major risks that constitute criminal income.
Prosecutors said Thursday that the current investigation is “an act of clarifying the case and measures to secure people and property,” and adding more details will not be made public to avoid the risk of litigation.
The scandal urged No Confidence Vote In June, Prime Minister Petr Fiara’s government survived narrowly.
The opposition party subsequently called for the resignation of further ministers, including Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura.
Decroix has pledged to release an expanded timeline for the case this week as scrutiny increases ahead of the October assembly elections.
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