Police look for lobbyists’ involvement in government contracts

The organized crime police unit suspects lobbyists Roman Janoušek and Ivo Rittig of having received overpriced contracts from state enterprises and smuggled millions of crowns into foreign accounts, according to Friday’s edition of Mlada fronta Dnes. Ivo Rittig allegedly received an overpriced contract from the forestry company Lesy ČR while Mr. Janoušek won an overpriced contract from the waterways management enterprise Povodí Vltavy and is suspected of extensive money laundering through his bank accounts and companies in Switzerland. Neither of the suspects has been detained and their lawyers told the press that the police had found no evidence of illegal activity during searches of their homes and offices.