People often come into the office because of a lost key or PIN, but it's not every day that a storage firm is involved in the search for a missing $6 billion. But, that's exactly what did happen at a London self storage centre, and what was found has since played a vital role in one of the most incredible and expensive financial fraud cases in history. Just this month, the UK revoked asylum status to Mukhar Ablyazov, a former banker and Kazakh energy minister who sought refuge here before skipping the country in 2012 (charged with contempt of court and escaping a 22 month prison sentence). Ablyazov was chairman of the Bank Joint Stock Company (BTA) from 2005 to 2009 and, as one of the biggest fraud cases since Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme, he is charged with defrauding the bank of $6bn, plus with an alleged involvement in organised crime and money laundering. Having fled his home country before BTA was nationalised, Ablyazov was chased across several continents for a number of years before those working on the case closed in on a rental unit at a self storage facility in North London, finding 25 boxes of documents, data storage tapes and a computer server. Now, part of this treasure trove of information - a single spreadsheet indicating hundreds of potential offshore accounts - is helping a vast team of lawyers, crime consultants, bankers and detectives recover at least some of the missing billions. Ablyazov is currently in jail in France, but has testified in British courts and denied the allegations in Russia and the Ukraine as well as his homeland. However, private detectives may have revealed the evidence which may help to extradite Ablyazov back to Russia to face trial having witnessed a relative and an associate transport the goods between a linked accounting firm and the storage facility. It's a good job that this isn't the everyday for us at LockAway - and whilst we were rather excited to hear of this incredible discovery relating to a very famous case, we're quite content with looking after all of our our non-criminal clients (and helping sort out problems like forgotten PINs...). Find out how we can help you store your belongings quickly and affordably by calling our friendly team on 020 7205 2137. (Unless, that is, you're facing extradition charged with several billion dollars.)
