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the State
Prosecutor's Office's charges, the accused, Siim Kossar, Mark Raul Laanela, and Viktor Tiuliukov, detained a 42-year-old man in November 2017. The victim was repeatedly beaten, threatened, and subjected to physical abuse of himself and his family, demanding a payment of one million euros. Siim Kossar was specifically charged with unlawful deprivation of liberty, and Meelis Lao was charged with aiding in this act. Mark Raul and Viktor were charged with extortion committed in a group, on a large scale, and involving deprivation of liberty. Viktor was also accused of armed robbery.
31:
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tax fraud in 2007, attempting to deceive the state with fictitious invoices. One part of the ML Investments Group invoiced the company for transactions that did not actually take place. To improve the company's financial situation, Lao borrowed from Gild
Arbitrage at an interest rate of 50%. However,
334:
In 2019, Meelis Lao, accused of aiding in unlawful deprivation of liberty, reached an agreement with the State
Prosecutor's Office. Based on the punishment agreement approved by Harju County Court, the court substituted an eight-month prison sentence with 238 hours of community service. According to
330:
on Lao for the offense. The convicting decision of the county court was annulled by the
Tallinn Circuit Court on April 12, and the acquitting decision of the circuit court was annulled by the Supreme Court at the end of August. On November 23, 2010, the Tallinn Circuit Court acquitted Lao of the
302:, he intervened in a dispute between tenants and owners (represented by OÜ Tartelone, represented by Janar Stint, and Fixor Invest) over a lease agreement for commercial premises at Valli 2/Viru 24/Müürivahe 38. Referring to the property owners' wishes, he prevented the opening of
285:"Meelis Lao's use in reaching agreements or as leverage in negotiations is considerably more effective than employing debt collection agencies. His methods are successful, and Lao is not called a public relations specialist without reason," characterized Mõis.
205:
as a representative of St. Petersburg's organized crime in
Estonia. Despite these allegations, Lao became involved in Estonian politics, actively fighting alongside Mõis to maintain the Tallinn ruling coalition. Lao declined these allegations by saying:
306:
and did not allow its employees into the establishment. However, he escaped charges of trespassing because, according to the law changed in the spring of 2007, trespassing is not considered a crime if no violence or threats are involved.
679:
338:
In
December 2020, the State Prosecutor's Office brought a criminal case to court, accusing Meelis Lao and three other men of illegal handling of firearms and ammunition, as well as arson of a vehicle.
376:
In
November 2023, Meelis released his first book "The Eastern Godfather". In the memoir, Lao tells his story on the roller-coaster ride through the collapse of the Soviet Union and his rise to power.
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according to the annual report of the venture capital fund, the money has not been repaid, and the fund has assessed the loan value to be less than 8.9 million by the end of the previous year.
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255:. They were associated with Rail Estonia, who made the best offer but was excluded from privatization due to the involvement of Antonio Angotti. Angotti was wanted in the
683:
448:
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185:, co-founded the transit company AS Meta-Eks, which operated in the fuel transit business using approximately 1550 railway tankers until 2008.
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576:
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780:
262:
During Mõis's tenure as the Mayor of
Tallinn, Lao enticed Russian politicians into Mõis's supporters' camp. However, when
114:
In 1988, Harju County Court sentenced Meelis Lao to a suspended prison term for unlawfully taking away someone's freedom.
885:
755:
129:
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nightclub in
Tallinn during the spring. In January 2010, Harju County Court imposed a monetary fine of 21,315
730:
526:
322:
In 2009, Lao was again charged and taken to court for a severe breach of public order with violence near the
136:
601:
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831:"Skandaalne Meelis Lao tunnistab: ma ei ela lapse emaga koos, mu elus on hoopis 20 aastat noorem naine"
630:
895:
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reported documents in its possession indicating that through Meelis Lao, Mayor Jüri Mõis handed the
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sentenced him to an eight-month suspended prison term for smuggling 18,000 liters of spirits into
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Lao earned the title of "problem solver" already in the late 1980s when he kept the
Russian
225:
151:
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In 2008, Lao and the company ML Investments Group were convicted of a tax crime, where the
263:
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449:"Eestiga seotud Vene allilmaliider lasti Moskvas maha. Kas Meelis Lao läheb matustele?"
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158:, who was allegedly closely associated with Lao in the fuel transit business.
274:'s photo, Lao and Mõis claimed that Lepikson was attempting to extort Laar.
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240:
236:
125:. He was saved by a mobile phone in his chest pocket, which the bullet hit.
680:"Riigikohus tühistas ööklubis kakelnud Meelis Lao õigeksmõistmise - DELFI"
259:
for financial crimes and had used the alias Antonio Angotti in Estonia.
140:
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businessman who has been considered one of the leaders of the Estonian
99:
30:
627:"Postimees: McDonald'sis jõu näitamine toob Laole kriminaalsüüdistuse"
358:
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Meelis Lao was the owner of the fruit wholesale company Megaviljad.
855:
198:
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Lao is divorced (from his ex-wife Ave) and has three children.
577:"Mõis sokutas Lao vahendusel Lennusadama ala seaduserikkujale"
294:
In 2005, Meelis Lao faced charges of trespassing when, at a
146:
During the 2000s, Estonian media linked Meelis Lao with
117:
On December 13, 1995, Lao was shot in the chest with an
239:. His path has repeatedly crossed with the founders of
228:
area to the hands of an illegal construction company.
128:
On March 4, 1997, Lao suffered severe injuries in an
756:"Riigiprokuratuur saatis Meelis Lao taas kohtu ette"
121:
in front of the Flexer sports club on Tartu Road in
552:"Meelis Lao: ma pole veel abilinnapea ametiks küps"
79:
71:
63:
55:
37:
21:
731:"Kohus saatis Meelis Lao üldkasulikku tööd tegema"
705:"Ringkonnakohus mõistis Meelis Lao õigeks - DELFI"
281:resolve the dispute among Balteco shareholders.
197:, a close friend of Meelis Lao, was the Tallinn
283:
208:
781:"Meelis Lao õpib Tartu Ülikoolis sotsiaaltööd"
67:Alleged leader of the Estonian organized crime
8:
502:"Kohus pani Meelis Lao varale keelu peale"
331:charge of "severe breach of public order.
29:
18:
399:"Prokurör taotleb Meelis Lao vahistamist"
393:
391:
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210:"I'm not ready to be a deputy mayor yet"
674:
672:
527:"FBI: Lao on seotud Peterburi maffiaga"
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494:
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365:at the Estonian boxing championships.
361:champion and won the bronze medal in
7:
856:"Meelis Lao - The Eastern Godfather"
806:"Meelis Lao lõi kickpoksija nokauti"
424:"Politsei pesi Meelis Lao puhtaks"
14:
652:"Kohus mõistis Meelis Lao õigeks"
602:"Mõis: Lao tegutseb efektiivselt"
357:Lao is a former Estonian junior
251:in the privatization scandal of
132:explosion at the same location.
1:
243:. Lao's name was linked with
150:, an authoritative figure in
707:. 2010-11-25. Archived from
682:. 2010-09-24. Archived from
629:. 2014-09-13. Archived from
474:"Meelis Lao alustab uut elu"
201:, Lao was identified by the
148:Konstantin "Mogila" Jakovlev
98:(born April 10, 1966) is an
917:
235:away from the founders of
762:(in Estonian). 2020-12-16
658:(in Estonian). 2007-10-26
508:(in Estonian). 2017-12-23
430:(in Estonian). 2001-04-24
314:identified a 6.9 million
193:In 2001, during the time
28:
346:Meelis Lao has studied
137:Helsinki District Court
891:Organized crime people
860:The Eastern Goodfather
287:
218:
312:Tax and Customs Board
189:Political involvement
16:Estoninan businessman
352:University of Tartu
162:Business activities
110:Criminal background
85:theeasterngodfather
886:Estonian criminals
729:ERR (2019-08-21).
363:heavyweight boxing
277:Meelis Lao helped
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264:Robert Lepikson
222:Eesti Päevaleht
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169:He, along with
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156:organized crime
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104:organized crime
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298:restaurant on
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266:revealed that
245:Hannes Tamjärv
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183:Toomas Sildmäe
179:Hannes Tamjärv
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152:St. Petersburg
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64:Known for
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48:April 10, 1966
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863:. Retrieved
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896:1966 births
348:social work
300:Viru Street
279:Rain Lõhmus
56:Nationality
880:Categories
865:2024-01-09
841:2024-01-10
816:2024-01-10
791:2024-01-10
766:2024-01-10
741:2024-01-10
715:2024-01-10
690:2024-01-10
662:2024-01-10
637:2024-01-10
612:2024-01-10
587:2024-01-10
562:2024-01-10
537:2024-01-10
512:2024-01-10
484:2024-01-10
459:2024-01-10
434:2024-01-10
409:2024-01-10
380:References
304:McDonald's
296:McDonald's
215:Meelis Lao
96:Meelis Lao
44:1966-04-10
23:Meelis Lao
268:Mart Laar
249:Jüri Mõis
241:Hansabank
237:Hansabank
233:racketeer
220:In 2001,
195:Jüri Mõis
171:Jüri Mõis
835:Kroonika
785:Kroonika
213:—
100:Estonian
72:Children
59:Estonian
606:Ärileht
403:Äripäev
350:at the
141:Finland
123:Tallinn
80:Website
372:Memoir
359:karate
328:kroons
324:BonBon
181:, and
760:Krimi
656:Eesti
531:Delfi
506:Elu24
428:Eesti
316:kroon
199:Mayor
119:AK-47
247:and
87:.com
38:Born
735:ERR
203:FBI
154:'s
130:IED
882::
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