KGB Arrested Management Of Largest Belarusian IT Company

Law enforcement agencies of Belarus have become interested in the activities of the management of IBA Group – the largest and one of the oldest IT-companies in Belarus.

As several sources informed tut.by, chairman of the IBA Group Board, CEO of IBA Minsk Siarhei Liautseyeu and member of the Board, First Deputy Chairman of the IBA Group Board, Director of Software Development, CEO of IBA IT Park Siarhei Akulich have come in sight of the security forces.

“Akulich has been detained for a week already,” – the source says. According to him, the Investigative Committee is inquiring into the case, the reason is tax evasion.

There is discordant information regarding Liautseyeu, which does not allow to claim that he is in custody.

“Siarhei Akulich is on sick leave. Siarhei Liautseyeu is now on vacation. But occasionally he comes into the office. He played tennis recently,” – the IBA Group's press service says. Akulich is not available on his mobile phone. Liautseyeu did not answer the call.

Sources close to the company claim that Liautseyeu and Akulich “took a vacation” almost at the same time – on 11 and 12 August, having appointed Acting Heads.

Other sources do not exclude that the security forces became interested in the IT businessmen after Belarusbank Executive Director Anatol Bahavik and General Director of the Banking Processing Center Henadz Zubarau’s arrest due to “conversion into cash and shadow paybacks.”

IBA is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of information technology. There are a lot of government agencies, large state-owned enterprises and banks among its customers. In particular, IBA has been providing services for Belarusbank’s automated banking system for many years. The company's management has received more than 5 letters of thanks for cooperation signed by Anatol Bahavik, the company data show.

The press services of the KGB and the IC refuse to comment on the situation.

IBA Group is one of the largest system integrators, developers, manufacturers and suppliers of information technologies in Central and Eastern Europe. The Belarusian office of the holding is overarching for the group and is among the top 3 companies of the High Technologies Park in terms of turnover, export, IT solutions at the Belarusian market. In June, IBA opened a research and production cluster in the territory of the High Technologies Park, totaling to $ 40 million.