The National Bureau of Investigation has largely completed an extensive criminal investigation involving Uros Oy, in which the suspected criminal damage amounts to nearly 38 million euros. The case involves multiple suspected aggravated financial offences and dozens of persons interviewed across several countries.
The National Bureau of Investigation has largely completed the criminal investigation into international technology company Uros Oy, and the case is currently being referred to the prosecution for consideration of charges. The offences under investigation have been aggravated dishonesty by a debtor, aggravated accounting offence and aggravated forgery. In addition, the police have investigated two separate offences of aggravated fraud relating to financing negotiations conducted by the company in its early days.
The Uros group has comprised a total of 14 companies across different parts of the world, the most distant being located in China, Taiwan and Brazil. In respect of the primary suspected offence, namely aggravated dishonesty by a debtor, the suspected offences will be referred to the prosecution for consideration of charges against ten persons, two of whom have been identified as the principal suspects. The number of suspects varies across the remaining offences.
– In addition to the suspects, the police have interviewed numerous individuals in the course of the criminal investigation, and this is indeed an exceptionally large and extensive financial crime case of a kind not previously seen in Finland. Furthermore, Switzerland transferred two separate fraud investigations relating to the case to the National Bureau of Investigation, the criminal investigation into which is underway. In respect of the offences of aggravated fraud, there is reason to suspect that investors were misled by the provision of false information, says Head of Investigation, Detective Superintendent Henry Rinteelä of the National Bureau of Investigation.
The suspected offences were committed primarily in 2019–2022. The criminal investigation has been time-consuming owing to the extensive international cooperation involved.
In practical terms, the suspected offences concern a situation in which Uros Oy accumulated substantial receivables from its group companies whilst simultaneously incurring debt and, on the basis of the findings of the criminal investigation, being effectively insolvent as early as the beginning of 2019. Furthermore, on the basis of the criminal investigation there is reason to suspect that assets were disposed of at an undervalue and that sales receivables of Uros Oy were transferred to other companies without commercial grounds.
Financial liabilities were also increased without justification whilst the company was already experiencing significant payment difficulties. The total criminal damage suspected in the criminal investigation amounts to approximately 37,900,000 euros.
