Raahen Seutu - Article - 2021-12-16Raahen Seutu 2021-12-16:
Suspicion of embezzlement collapses and Wesson released, but criminal investigation continues
- see a breath-taking list of Otso Gold's creditors
(this is the same list that is available on the deloitte site)
Police are now focusing on investigating suspected gross payment fraud. According to the resigned management of Otso Gold, the current main owner of the mining company, BGL, is behind the whole mess.
Police no longer suspect aggravated embezzlement in Otso Gold. The mining company's current management has managed to trace the missing $ 741,000 payment for the gold item sold by the company.
Thomas Dillenseger, interim CFO of Otso Gold, tells the Supreme Court of British Columbia in an affidavit that the money has been returned to the payer, MKS, a precious metals processor based in Switzerland.
- On December 9, I learned that the missing funds were returned to MKS, and I am now working with them to transfer these funds to the company.
- Circumstances have emerged on the basis of which there is no reason to suspect a crime in this case, says Crime Commissioner Timo Heikkinen from the Financial Crimes Unit of the Oulu Police.
The suspicion of aggravated embezzlement was based on the fact that the company would not have received any proceeds from the sale of the gold lot to itself. In connection with this and the suspicion of serious payment fraud, the Oulu District Court arrested Brian Wesson, the former CEO of Otso Gold, two weeks ago. According to the Raahe Region, Wesson has already been released from pre-trial detention.
- No one is currently imprisoned in connection with the matter under investigation, Timo Heikkinen confirms.
According to Heikkinen, the preliminary investigation has progressed and the perception of the course of events has become clearer, but the criminal investigation is still ongoing. Police are now focusing on investigating suspected gross payment fraud.
In his affidavit on December 12, Thomas Dillenseger did not know why the payment for the gold item was returned to the payer's bank account.
- We have not yet received an explanation of where the funds were originally sent, why it took so long to return them and why the funds were returned to MKS.
Clyde Wesson, who resigned from Otso Gold's Board of Directors and Deputy CEO at the end of November, says in his affidavit that the former management of the mining company was informed of the refund as early as 25 November. According to Wesson, Otso Gold also received information from Danske Bank about the reason for the return.
- The transfer of money to Danske Bank had been returned to the sending bank because the information that Danske Bank requires with the payment according to EU regulations was missing, he says.
According to Clyde Wesson, his father, Brian Wesson, was arrested at the request of Otson Gold’s new leadership on fictitious charges. Under the new management, he means Brunswick Gold Ltd, which has become the mining company’s largest owner, and which Wesson uses as BGL. Wesson suggests that behind all the mess is the Russian-owned BGL.
Otso Gold received a warning from Canada last July from one of the mining company's shareholders and investors. According to the warning, this investor may be exposed to organized crime and foreign government through his or her business connections and attempt to transfer illegal funds to Canada through Canadian business to support illegal activities.
- This investor was BGL. As far as I know, the case is still under investigation, says Wesson.
In his affidavit to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Clyde Wesson dispels any suspicions against her father and family companies about possible ambiguities and abuses in the management of Otso Gold. He says BGL made their lives in the company and at the Raahe gold mine difficult. Therefore, he considers it very likely that they would have left Otso Gold anyway after the end of their current contract period in mid-2022.
- Neither I nor Brian, as far as I know, concealed information from BGL or did anything to deliberately mislead them. All payments made from Otso's funds were also appropriate and in Otso's interest. In short, I don’t know of any of Otso’s assets that are currently in my or my family’s possession.