RIGA, May 12 (LETA) - At present, at least three of Jekabpils local council lawmakers have been involved in criminal procedures, according to the information at the disposal of LETA.

Jekabpils council consists of 13 councillors, and three of them, representing different parties, are involved in criminal procedures, while two of them plan to run for the upcoming municipal elections.

This week, the State Revenue Service has launched a criminal procedure on tax evasion and large-scale money laundering in construction company Erbauer Group that belongs to local lawmaker Andrejs Gavrilovs (Harmony).

During pre-trial investigation, it was discovered that between January 2019 and April 2021, wages have not been fully accounted for, and the company has paid a part of the wage in cash. The company also failed to pay more than EUR 148,000 in taxes and laundered more than EUR 153,000.

Gavrilovs plans to run for the upcoming local elections on Harmony's ticket in Jekabpils county.

Former Jekabpils mayor Aivars Kraps (For Latvia's Development) is involved in a criminal procedure launched by the Corruption Prevention Bureau. Materials of the criminal procedure contain information that officials of Jekabpils city council and municipal company Jekabpils Pakalpojumi allegedly abused their authority in relation to procurements. 

Kraps also is running for the upcoming local elections as No. 2 on the party's list.

Local councillor Nikolajs Anuskevics (Latgale Party) is also involved in the same criminal procedure. According to Firmas.lv, Anuskevics by 2014 held a 50 percent stake in municipal company Energoterms, while until 2017, Vera Anuskevica was among the company's owners.

Energoterms has won a number of tenders announced by Jekabpils Pakalpojumi.