Tirana Prosecution Office required the imposition of preventive seizure on the assets belonging to the Polish citizen Anna Morgenstern who is involved in investments linked to illicit assets from undisclosed fund origins and is under suspicion for committing the criminal act of “Laundering the Proceeds of Criminal Offence or Criminal Activity".

This prosecution office has recorded the criminal proceeding under No. 1022 on January 4, 2024, as stipulated in Article 287 of the Criminal Code, addressing the offense of " Laundering of Proceeds Criminal Offence or Criminal Activity."

She is the spouse of the German citizen S.M., being wanted for financial fraud and apprehended at "Rinas" airport on August 21, 2023. He is accused of establishing an international pyramid scheme, allegedly resulting in gains of around 28 million euros shared among accomplices. According to reports from Interpol and prosecutors in five different countries, efforts have been made to seize and freeze the assets of this individual in Dubai.

"Based on the investigation conducted so far in Albania, the criteria for imposing preventive seizure on the assets of citizen A.M. are met, as there is ample evidence and indications for reasonable suspicion that this individual, in collaboration with her spouse, citizen S.M., has committed the criminal offense of "Laundering the Proceeds of Criminal Offence or Criminal Activity”. Further supported by extradition pract ices related to citizen S.M., there is reasonable suspicion that he has been engaged in criminal activities involving fraud and laundering the proceeds of criminal offence in several countries, including South Korea and Poland, which are seeking his extradition. There is reasonable suspicion that this individual has gained substantial sums of money through fraudulent schemes.

The illicitly gained funds by him and his spouse are suspected to have been invested in purchasing properties in various locations where fraudulent activities are believed to have occurred. Therefore, the investments made by both spouses extend beyond Dubai alone. There is reasonable suspicion, supported by evidence gathered during the investigation, that all the assets acquired by citizen A.M. in Albania were bought using her spouse's money, obtained through fraudulent means in several countries worldwide. The purchase values of the real estates, totaling considerable sums, such as 483,000 euros, 28,000 euros, etc., serve as ample evidence that the assets are the proceeds of criminal activity.

For this reason, pursuant to Article 274 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the prosecution seeks the imposition of the security measusre of "Preventive Seizure" on the following real estates:

-Property No. 590/1/62+4-7, comprising a 176.06 m2 apartment located in Lundër, Tirana, with an initial value of 483,000 euros;

-Property No. 590/1/62+4-G10, a garage covering 13.08 m2 in Lundër, valued at 11,500 euros; and

-Property No. 590/1/62+4-G11, a garage with an area of 19.03 m2 in Lundër, valued at 15,500 euros." said prosecution.