Baltic Tours suspected of fraud by European Public Prosecutors' Office
The European Public Prosecutor's Office suspects one of the oldest travel agencies in Estonia, Baltic Tours, and its owner, Andreas Metsamaa, of major fraud in connection with the provision of nearly €5 million in accommodation services to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the daily Eesti Ekspress reported.
Baltic Tours allegedly secretly inflated bills by 10 percent, totaling around €460,000, the daily Eesti Express reported.
Metsamaa was taken into custody in early February by Harju County Court [of first instance] Judge Eha Popova to prevent him from continuing to commit crimes, i.e. submitting new false reports to Frontex.
Indrek Leppik, his lawyer, thought such an arrest was unjustified given the nature of the suspicion.
Furthermore, the businessman who was imprisoned was subjected to a total communication ban, allowing him to communicate only with his lawyer.
The European Public Prosecutor's arguments for preventive detention in custody and the request to close the hearing were rejected by the Tallinn Court of Appeal. Judges Inna Ombler, Orvi Koik and Janika Kallin kept the hearing open to the public and granted release to Metsamaa immediately following the hearing.
Frontex signed a contract with Baltic Tours for the provision of travel and accommodation services at the end of 2021. The travel agency agreed to arrange accommodation for Frontex standing corps — border guards patrolling Europe's borders. Frontex paid Baltic Tours for the accommodation, which in turn paid the accommodation providers.
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Editor: Kristina Kersa
