Mafia controlled Austria is, according to Peter Pilz, the gateway for the Eastern European mafia to Western Europe.AUSTRIA IS THE INTERCHANGE BETWEEN EASTERN EUROPEAN MAFIA AND THE WEST
"Österreich fungiere als "Türsteher" für die osteuropäische Mafia auf ihrem Weg nach Westeuropa". (Pilz: "Österreichische Politik hofiert Mafia-Paten", Die Presse, 23 Jun 2011)
WELL-PLACED SOURCE
"Peter Pilz (born 22 January 1954) is an Austrian politician (NOW - Pilz List)". (Peter Pilz, Wikipedia)
THE FACE OF THE EASTERN EUROPEAN MAFIA
Semion Mogilevich is an international businessman with interests in "arms dealing, drug running, uranium trafficking and multiple murders". (Nico Hines, Semyon Mogilevich, the 'East European mafia boss', captured in Moscow, The Sunday Times, 25 Jan 2008)AMERICAN EMBASSY: MOGILEVICH USES RAIFFEISEN AUSTRIA TO FRONT DEAL
"U.S.-indicted crime boss Semyon Mogilevich probably uses RZB and its subsidiary Raiffeisen Investment Holding AG Algeria (RIAG)A FRONT FOR ORGANIZED CRIME
as a front to provide legitimacy to the gas company that we suspect he controls, RosUkrEnergo (RUE). RUE makesDIRTY MONEY
direct payments of $360,000 annually to each of two RIAG executives in "consulting fees." We assess that the payments probably are bribes for RIAG to maintain the front for Mogilevich (ref D)." (American Embassy Vienna Austria, Secret Cable, 15 Feb 2006 published at Wikileaks, http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2006/02/06VIENNA515.html) "Semion Mogilevich is wanted for his alleged participation in a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of investors in the stock of a public company incorporated in Canada, but headquartered in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, between 1993 and 1998. The scheme to defraud collapsed in 1998, after thousands of investors lost in excess of 150 million U.S. dollars, and Mogilevich, thought to have allegedly funded and authorized the scheme, was indicted in April of 2003. " http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/semion-mogilevich
WHAT DRIVES THE BUSINESS
Raiffeisen is perfectly open about its motiviations: "Everyone has desires". (see tweet at left)Semion needed some discretion and deniability, and the Raiffeisen leaders are always hungry for more fees, commissions, and, well, any form of paper will do.
And they got a lot of paper from Red Mafia boss Mogilevich, according to the American Embassy cable publicized by Wikileaks.
But Gernot Erne of Raiffeisen has a somewhat different philosophy. (see tweet at right) He refers to moral scruples as "excuses", 'cuz they prevent a dirty banker from "doing something" -- anything -- to make a buck.
Like everyone else, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev has heard the "stories about mafia involvement" with Raiffeisen. (Dmitry Medvedev cited in Shaun Walker, Perhaps Out of Place, But Still in the Money, Russia Profile, 27 Apr 2006)(see the public faces of Raiffeisen at left, with Gernot Erne at center)BUT FOR MEDVEDEV, CONTROL OF RAIFFEISEN IS A TOTAL MYSTERY
And for all the people out there who believe Raiffeisen is somehow legitimate, and they have no idea who's behind this enterprise, Gernot Erne and his team have a special message: "if you're the stupidiest person in a room, you have done something right". (see Raiffeisen tweet at right)
RELATED READING:
'Ndrangheta Mafia Ownership of Raiffeisen
Raiffeisen Bank Employee arrested for stealing from Customers
How Raiffeisen washes Money for the Italian mafia
Raiffeisen prowls da Hood -- by night, naturally
Russell Brand on Raiffeisen Corruption
German Language: Schmiergeld und Schwarze Kassen in Österreich
Raiffeisen's Turnkey Service for the Mafia
