Latest news with #PavelBlažek
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Czech justice minister resigns over a donated bitcoin scandal
PRAGUE — Czech Republic Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned from his post over a bitcoin-related scandal on Friday. Blažek was under fire from the opposition after his ministry accepted a donation of bitcoins and sold them for about 1 billion Czech koruna (more than $45 million) earlier this year. Blažek said that he wasn't aware of any wrongdoing, but didn't want the four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala to be harmed by the scandal. Fiala said that he appreciated his resignation and believed that Blažek acted with goodwill.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Czech justice minister resigns over a donated bitcoin scandal
PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Republic Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned from his post over a bitcoin-related scandal on Friday. Blažek was under fire from the opposition after his ministry accepted a donation of bitcoins and sold them for about 1 billion Czech koruna (more than $45 million) earlier this year. Blažek said that he wasn't aware of any wrongdoing, but didn't want the four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala to be harmed by the scandal. Fiala said that he appreciated his resignation and believed that Blažek acted with goodwill. Blažek was a close ally of Fiala in the government, and also in his conservative Civic Democratic Party. It's not clear who might replace him. The issue focused on the fact that the bitcoins were donated to the ministry by a person who was previously convicted of drug dealing and other crimes. The opposition has accused Blažek of possible money laundering, because it wasn't clear where the bitcoins came from. It was also not clear why the person donated the bitcoins to the ministry. The issue has been investigated by the police organized crime unit. The scandal took place just months before the Oct 3-4 parliamentary election. The main opposition ANO (YES) party led by former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is predicted to win the vote.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Czech justice minister resigns over a donated bitcoin scandal
Czech Republic Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned from his post over a bitcoin-related scandal on Friday. Blažek was under fire from the opposition after his ministry accepted a donation of bitcoins and sold them for about 1 billion Czech koruna (more than $45 million) earlier this year. Blažek said that he wasn't aware of any wrongdoing, but didn't want the four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala to be harmed by the scandal. Fiala said that he appreciated his resignation and believed that Blažek acted with goodwill. Blažek was a close ally of Fiala in the government, and also in his conservative Civic Democratic Party. It's not clear who might replace him. The issue focused on the fact that the bitcoins were donated to the ministry by a person who was previously convicted of drug dealing and other crimes. The opposition has accused Blažek of possible money laundering, because it wasn't clear where the bitcoins came from. It was also not clear why the person donated the bitcoins to the ministry. The issue has been investigated by the police organized crime unit. The scandal took place just months before the Oct 3-4 parliamentary election. The main opposition ANO (YES) party led by former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is predicted to win the vote.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Czech justice minister resigns over a donated bitcoin scandal
PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Republic Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned from his post over a bitcoin-related scandal on Friday. Blažek was under fire from the opposition after his ministry accepted a donation of bitcoins and sold them for about 1 billion Czech koruna (more than $45 million) earlier this year. Blažek said that he wasn't aware of any wrongdoing, but didn't want the four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala to be harmed by the scandal. Fiala said that he appreciated his resignation and believed that Blažek acted with goodwill. Blažek was a close ally of Fiala in the government, and also in his conservative Civic Democratic Party. It's not clear who might replace him. The issue focused on the fact that the bitcoins were donated to the ministry by a person who was previously convicted of drug dealing and other crimes. The opposition has accused Blažek of possible money laundering, because it wasn't clear where the bitcoins came from. It was also not clear why the person donated the bitcoins to the ministry. The issue has been investigated by the police organized crime unit. The scandal took place just months before the Oct 3-4 parliamentary election. The main opposition ANO (YES) party led by former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is predicted to win the vote.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Convict donates Bitcoin worth €40m to Czech Justice Ministry
A convicted criminal has donated 468.468 Bitcoin to the Czech Justice Ministry, a spokesman announced on Thursday. The cryptocurrency was auctioned off, generating proceeds of almost €40 million ($45.4 million), which are to be used for good causes, such as helping victims of crime and equipping prisons, the spokesman said. The transaction has raised concern. The newspaper Deník N reported that the police have launched an investigation on the suspicion that the amount was raised through money laundering. According to the report, the donor was convicted for running an illegal darknet platform for drugs and medicine in the past, and served a four-year prison sentence. Justice Minister Pavel Blažek rejected the criticism. "Why should a convicted person not be allowed to give something to the state, for example as a form of penance?" he said. Blažek said he does not know the benefactor personally, but he knows his lawyer, as do hundreds of other lawyers. He stressed that he sees no ethical dilemma in the transaction.
