La Mafia

On the evening of February 24, Russian Korea specialist Andrei Lankov was detained in Riga. It is reported that the scholar was taken to the migration service. According to the organizers of his visit, the reason for the detention was that Lankov had been placed on Latvia’s “blacklist,” meaning he is banned from entering the country. However, there had been no prior public notice of his inclusion on this list, and tickets to his lecture were being sold without restrictions. The situation, however, may be more complicated. According to our source, Lankov was accompanied by Putin-linked oligarch Pyotr Aven and his fixer Igor Bass. The lecture was organized by Dmitry Aleshkovsky’s agency Curiosophy.events. The same company previously organized a lecture in Warsaw by archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, who was detained by Polish authorities in December at Ukraine’s request. Butyagin was accused of conducting illegal excavations in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia.

At 33 Bulduru Avenue in Jūrmala, the Jūras Pērle Restaurant & Café operates. The company has two equal shareholders - Emmanuil Grinshpun and Varazdat Galstyan. Varazdat, a citizen of Kazakhstan, is the son of Armenian “arms baron” Davit Galstyan (Patron Davit). Dodik is a longtime friend of Emik (pictured). He is accused of corruption schemes involving substandard weapons supplied to the Armenian army. Varazdat is not a defendant, but in compliance practice even indirect ties to figures in major investigations are seen as a reputational risk. March 6 marks 61 years since the opening of the legendary restaurant, known not only for Laima Vaikule’s dances but also for the brawl on hockey player Oleg Znarok’s birthday. A minor dispute escalated when Ivan Kharitonov pulled a sweater over Znarok’s head, sparking a fight. Police detained the participants; Dyadya and seven of his men were convicted in 1987, while Znarok received a medal “For the Protection of Public Order.” #Grinshpun@la_mafia_lv

In February, FAMIR made a move that didn’t go unnoticed: its legal address quietly migrated from Old Riga to Jūrmala - to 33 Bulduru Avenue. In essence, the relocation is a consolidation of assets belonging to the flamboyant Romanian citizen Emmanuil Grinshpun, whose company has owned this building since 2018. Bulduru 33 is well known to many of our readers as the synagogue of Rabbi Shimon Kutnovsky-Lyak. For our Emik, 2025 became a point of explosive growth. Within a single month, three new entities were registered at the same address: Aquazeta Professional and Aquazeta Chemicals, both targeting the industrial chemical sector, as well as Jūras Pērle Restaurant & Cafe. The business built around this legendary brand is particularly intriguing. Here, Grinshpun split ownership 50/50 with a citizen of Kazakhstan - Varazdat Galstyan. But that’s a story for another time. #Grinshpun@la_mafia_lv

A red carpet instead of prison 🔥 While the appeal continues in the Riga Regional Court in one of the most high‑profile anti‑corruption cases in the Baltics, one of the defendants — Māris Martinsons (“Kvadrāts”) — is calmly posing on the red carpet at the Latvijas Cīņas sporta gada balva ceremony. Yes, the same Martinsons who has already been sentenced by the first instance to 5 years in prison and a fine for aiding in bribery and money laundering. And here he is — in a tuxedo, under camera flashes, surrounded by the board of the Latvian Boxing Federation (LBS). On that very board, right next to him, stands former head of the ENAP police procurement unit, Gatis Gudermanis.

One of the founding figures of Russia’s weapons business, 59‑year‑old Mikhail Khubutiya, slips past sanctions as confidently as some Riga residents sidestep icy sidewalks. His portfolio includes “Russian Eagle,” “Kolchuga,” “Okhota,” “Oryol Hunting,” “Smart Systems,” and “Test‑Oruzhie” - a set of companies that reads like a catalogue for those who prefer to settle disputes without words. For attacking his lover Yulia Van with an axe, he got off with a suspended one‑year sentence. The woman was left with the full spectrum of injuries — from cuts to fractures and torn ligaments. The court, it seems, decided that an axe is a household trifle when Khubutiya is involved. But our interest in him lies in the context of his friendship with Latvian citizen Pyotr Aven and vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler. And that’s where the real intrigue begins.