MONEY LAUNDERING

Lithuanian woman sentenced in Denmark for laundering billions

A general view of Copenhagen. Photo: Pixabay.

She has admitted to laundering the enormous sum between 2008 and 2016 through a series of limited partnerships, all of which had accounts at the branch of the Danish Danske Bank in Estonia

A 49-year-old woman has been sentenced to several years in prison in Denmark in an extensive money-laundering scandal.

The Copenhagen City Court on Thursday sentenced the Lithuanian national to four years and one month in prison for attempted laundering of a total sum 29.5 billion kroner ($4.2 billion), according to prosecutors.

"This is the largest amount we have seen in a money-laundering case in court in Denmark," said the prosecutor in charge, Lisette Jørgensen.

It is a so-called additional sentence, as the woman has already received a prison sentence of three years and 11 months in another money-laundering case involving at least 140 million kroner.

This brings her sentence to a total of eight years.

Deportation

In addition, she will be permanently deported from Denmark after serving her time.

According to the Ritzau news agency, the woman has admitted to laundering the enormous sum between 2008 and 2016 through a series of limited partnerships, all of which had accounts at the branch of the Danish Danske Bank in Estonia.

She is said to have helped Russian and Baltic businesspeople in particular to conceal the origin of their assets.

The Lithuanian, who has been living in Denmark since 2001, accepted the sentence.