Ulvi Hasanli documented 565,000 manat illegal funds in the name of his friends and relatives.
Publika.az Milli.az reports that “nameless card” accounts belonging to the “Abzas Media” team have been identified.
The investigation process continues in the case of the leaders of the “Abzas Media” news portal, as well as the persons and institutions who cooperated with them, who were brought to criminal responsibility. During the investigations, new details were revealed about the mechanisms used by portal manager Ulvi Hasanov, editor-in-chief Sevinj Abbasova, and project coordinator Mahammad Kekalov to realize illegal grant funds.
It was determined that the financial resources provided for grant projects concluded with foreign organizations, evaded from state registration and implemented in an illegal form, were cashed in different places. During the review of the report documents prepared for these projects, it became clear that a large amount of funds were transferred to the accounts opened in the name of Ulvi Hasanov in “TBC Bank” and “Bank of Georgia” banks operating in Georgia. It has been confirmed that Muhammad Kekalov participated in the financial circulation by opening an account in the same banks.
They cashed the funds in their accounts from ATMs in parts, in amounts that did not create responsibility, and brought them to Azerbaijan. Although a part of the funds was taken personally by Ulvi Hasanov and Muhammed Kekalov, the other part was documented in the name of their relatives and friends. The investigation determined the list of “friends and relatives” involved in such an illegal process by Ulvi Hasanov and Muhammad Kekalov. Currently, clarification works are being carried out.
During the investigations, it became clear that the funds for some projects were loaded on anonymous bank cards in London and given to the representatives of “Abzas Media”. The managers of the “Abzas Media” portal used the names of their family members, relatives and friends to cash the funds transferred through London banks. Funds transferred to the cards of relatives, friends and family members were taken in small amounts from ATMs belonging to “Bank of Respublika”, “Turan Bank”, “Yapı Kredi Bank” and other banks in Baku. In the course of the investigation process, documents confirming all these operations were determined and taken away.
565 thousand 665 manats were cashed and the same amount was projected
In the course of the investigation, the names of the organizations that financed the “Abzas Media” team with illegal grant funds were determined, as well as the total amount of funds transferred by these organizations. It became clear that Ulvi Hasanov and his team were given $30,000 in one tranche by USAID in 2020-2023. Later, the amount was increased. DT Global, an organization cooperating with USAID, was used to deliver the increased funds. 98 thousand 600 euros were transferred to “Abzas Media” through “DT Global”. The “National Democracy Fund” provided $55,350 to the “Abzas Media” team during the mentioned period.
The list also includes the names of other foreign donors. 50 thousand 600 dollars for “Civil Society of Prague” organization for “Abzas Media” team in 2020-2023; “Black Sea on Regional Cooperation” organization of “German Marshall Fund” 24 thousand 900 dollars; US Embassy in Azerbaijan 21 thousand 954 dollars; “Internews” organization 12 thousand dollars; “People in Need” organization 11 thousand dollars; “Netherlands Helsinki Committee” 5 thousand euros; “Eastern Partnership Civil Society” 4 thousand 110 euros; “Norwegian Helsinki Committee” 4 thousand euros; “Freedom House” organization 2 thousand 400 dollars; “American Council of International Education” 2 thousand 400 dollars; German Embassy in Azerbaijan 1,500 euros; The Embassy of France in Azerbaijan allocated 700 euros. In total, 113,910 euros and 210,794 dollars (565 thousand 665 AZN) were taken. Copies of payment documents for the purchase of these funds have been identified.
But the amount of financial resources transferred by foreign organizations to the name of “Abzas Media” does not end there. During the investigation, initially designed grant documents in the amount of 210,468 dollars and 77,815 euros (approximately 500 thousand manats) were discovered.
For information, let’s note that all these “grant” projects carried out by “Abzas Media” were evaded from registration in Azerbaijan and were carried out in an illegal form. Funds for the projects were smuggled into Azerbaijan and hidden from legal procedures.
According to Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code, a criminal case was opened against the head of the “Abzas Media” news portal Ulvi Hasanov, editor-in-chief Sevinj Abbasova and financial coordinator Muhammad Kekalov for smuggling a large amount of money into the country and conducting suspicious financial transactions. Currently, appropriate investigative measures are being implemented.
#large #amount #money #transferred #Abzas #Media #cashed