That headline is the result of a GoogleTrans. I don’t think there were actually any formal criminal charges here, but there were suspicions, rumour and innuendo surrounding Vladimir Antoonov, enough that GM insisted that he not be a formal part of the group seeking to acquire Saab one year ago.
The following is a Googletrans and it’s good to see a story like this appearing in DI.se. I hope they leave it as a headline all day.
Fistbump to Vladimir.
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Antonov cleared of criminal charges
Can not find any evidence that the former Spykerägaren Vladimir Antonov been involved in crime. It shows two independent audits, according to Dagens Industri.
It was in February that Dutch sports car maker Spyker bought the Saab Automobile from GM. A prerequisite for the deal was that Vladimir Antonov disappeared as Spykerägare.
Sources of DI has been shown that GM suspected that he was involved in more than questionable and downright illegal business, such as money laundering.
Suspicion must be received from the Swedish government, which is also related to the sales process gave the U.S. firm Kroll commissioned to examine Vladimir Antonov.
DI have read the report. In no case did Kroll manage to prove their suspicions. Antonov acquitted in the investigation which he himself initiated after GM stopped him from becoming the owner of Saab. No evidence has been found to Vladimir Antonov or any of his companies are or have been involved in organized crime or money laundering, writes DI.
Saab’s President Victor Muller has made no secret that he wants back Antonov as owner.
“That’s what I have tried to say all the time. Antonov has been falsely accused, he is an honest man and must have his reputation restored,” he says to the DI.
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Thanks to Anders L for the tip!
I think that this is good news for Saab!
Hopefully VA still wants to be a part of Saab…. I hope so..
Very good news !
+1
Good to see that our Russian friend of Saab is clean. 🙂
Congratulation Vladimir 🙂
I do hope a recourse on the accuser follows
Is this DI.se way of admitting to Saab they treated our little car company badly in the past? Let’s hope it’s a new beginning to a more positive relationship between the two companies. 🙂
Great news, congrats Vladimir. 🙂
So are we now closer to the 92? 😉
I hope so! That and the new 9-3 I can’t wait for.
Very good news 🙂
Nothing really new here. We knew there was a report, and it was quite obvious it was based on rumours and suspicions (otherwise Vladimir would have faced a trial or two at this point).
GM presumably read the old report a year ago (all five chapters). What has changed there is that the rest of the world have gained access to about half the report (and we’re not impressed).
More significant then is the availability of the report Vladimir commissioned earlier this year.
IMO, if GM (and/or the Swedish government) finds Vladimir’s report reliable (or simply feel more comfortable with trusting Spyker in general), then we might see some changes.
Interesting concept: Guilty, until proven innocent.
Unfortunately, I think the “Guilty, until proven innocent” conecpt is a natural outcome of decision making in most organizations these days. Basically, there is very little incentive for a manager to take a perceived risky decision that leaves little upside. “Cover your back, take only calculated steps, don’t jeopordize the annual bonus” could be another interpretation. It doesn’t really promote visionary thinking. Although in this case there was probably also the little thing about stopping the sale all together…
Antonov is obviously very Saab. He takes a lot of beating, but stands up and wins in the end. I really hope this gentleman could be a full visible part of Saab asap. It is impossible, for our community, to give him enoung cred for what he has done.
Love!
SAAB is thte rocky balboa of the car industry
Good news indeed! And good news for SUHRT!
Mr. Antonov is a man with automotive enthusiasm, nothing else matters until such speculations have been proven.
Good luck Vlad!
Was searching for the 900 concept by Bertone, when I stumbled across this Alfa.
It looks like a cousin of the Aero X, or is it just me?
Nice. I like Alfa Romeo.
Hopefully he´s not one of those “free entrepreneours” and let Saab work their wonders.
🙂
Wonder if this will change GM’s position on its treatment of VA.
Vladimir has told me from the first day we started to collaborate that all the accusations where false!
This is good news for Saab and http://www.saabsunitedhistoricrallyteam.com
Great news. I cannot imagine the weight that has been put onto his shoulders. Essentially he has taken a ton of flack over the past 18 months, let someone else use his money to rescue our car company, and was not guaranteed to ever be cleared. That’s ballsy!
I say bring his enthusiasm on board! His enthusiasm combined with VM’s enthusiasm has to translate to success.
Great news! Poetic timing as we are upon (in 3 days) the anniversary of single darkest day of Saab’s history. Sincerest congrats to VA and VM.
If the Swedish and US governments and GM (and maybe the CIA and the FBI…) had read SU at the time this was playing out then Antonov would never have been publicly branded a criminal in the first place. It really is a shame to smear someone this way based only on innuendo and without any tangible evidence whatsoever. He should litigate the hell out of all those who did that to him!
It will be good to see Antonov openly involved with Saab and Spyker again. The man is a true car guy and has the wherewithal to be of a lot of use to both brands and VM. But I guess VM doesn’t us or me to know that 😉 .
Ivo
Great news indeed! Congratulations Vladimir, I hope my journalist-countrymen will soon contact you and explain their regrets about what they have written…..but don´t count on it!
I have been in contact with both Vladimir and the DI journalist today. Vladimir seams to be happy over the positive publicity, that is good, and the DI journalist tells me the IPSA report is at the National Debt office RIKSGÄLDEN. The document in public and anyone can ask to read it. But it seams like nobody at the RIKSGÄLDEN has read it according to the journalist.
The Kroll report DI is referring to is the OLD report from almost a year ago.
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Our SUHRT work goes on as plan. Cars are both cut to pieces, renovated and repaired.
Some new sponsors are on the way in…..
2011 Midnattssolsrallyt seems to be moving to Västerås. Less logistic fuss for SUHRT, I think.
But is moving too far away from Trollhättan 🙁
That’s great news!
Now, what magic could be done with Spyker, SAAB and the VA sponsored Renault F1?
If there is supposed to be 1.6 litres 4 bangers in F1 from 2013, just about the time SAAb is releasing a 1.6 litres 4 pot spanking new 9-3…
It’s fun speculationg, isn’t it?
All are happy hear good news. Congrats to VA and VM. We knew that it was the GM-game only. 🙂
heh – told ya so didn’t I, Steven?
Didn’t I? Huh? Didn’t I?
LOL
Good man, Vladimir!
Good man, Victor!
I think Antonov is cleared from charges because of the improved relationship between US and Russia. Now the russian investments into american technology are more welcome than a year ago. Mark my words.