On Monday, international consulting firm AlixPartners announced that it had acquired risk management firm Freeh Group International Solutions LLC (FGIS).

As a result of the deal, members of FGIS merge with AlixPartners, meaning Louis Freeh will leave Freeh, Sporkin & Sullivan, the law firm hired by finance minister Martin Helme to provide legal services to the Estonian state in international money laundering investigations.

Freeh, a former FBI director, told daily Postimees (link in Estonian) on Monday that him leaving as senior partner of the law firm does not change any terms of the contract signed with and Estonia and Freeh, Sporkin & Sullivan will still assist Estonia at full capacity.

He explained: "This does not change the contract legally. Freeh, Sporkin & Sullivan and their lawyers will honor the contract and I am allowed to continue cooperating with them (Freeh, Sporkin & Sullivan - ed.) from AlixPartners."

Freeh and his team of 24 professionals will join AlixPartners, as reported by ETV's daily affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera" on Monday.

Simon Freakley, CEO of AlixPartners, said in a press release: "I am very pleased to welcome Louis and his exceptional team to AlixPartners, where he will be a Vice Chairman and serve on AlixPartners' Management Committee."

Freeh added that everyone at FGIS is excited to join the team at AlixPartners at a time when demand for investigations expertise is certain to rise significantly.

Freeh said: "When we eventually emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, demand for our investigations expertise is certain to rise significantly. Together, we look forward to continue helping our clients solve their most complex and critical investigations."

Following the publication of an investigative piece in daily Eesti Päevaleht on July 28, the deal agreed in early-July between finance minister Martin Helme (EKRE) and law firm Freeh, Sporkin & Sullivan, has come under increased scrutiny, principally over senior partner Louis Freeh's alleged acting on behalf of a Russian client facing money laundering charges and several million of whose funds had passed through the now-defunct Tallinn branch of Danske Bank. Freeh, who was FBI director under the Bill Clinton administration, denies having worked for the Russian client.

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