Senior police officer arrested on suspicion of embezzlement
The Internal Security Service detained the head of the Police and Border Guard Board's (PPA) Internal Control at the South Prefecture on suspicion of embezzling more than €250,000 and forging documents, newspaper Eesti Päevaleht reported on Thursday.
Eesti Päevaleht named the arrested man as Kaupo Martihhin, who has been in the position at the PPA since February last year.
It is suspected that between 2015 and 2019, the officer, as one of the owners of a joint company, took the company's assets in cash and through contracts with another related company. He allegedly paid for private travel as a business expense of the company, forging and using these documents to conceal the real purpose of his travel. He is also suspected of seizing claims against the company's clients to benefit another one of his businesses. This is not thought to be a professional crime.
The officer is suspected of embezzling at least € 250,000 without the knowledge of the other owners of the company.
Chief Public Prosecutor Taavi Pern said the suspect may continue to commit similar acts, such as artificially creating evidence or influencing other participants in the proceedings, and so the prosecutor requested his arrest. The Tartu County Court granted the application.
Eesti Päevaleht reported he was arrested along with a 26-year-old man, who the newspaper said might be Martihhin's son Kevin. Kaupo Martihhin is the founder and shareholder of OÜ Tartek Grupp, a company registered in the commercial register in 2014. His son Kevin is a member of the management board.
-
Download the ERR News app for Android and iOS now and never miss an update!
Editor: Helen Wright