TODAY: Bette’s Happy Hour with Levan Tarkhnishili on Trump Tower Tbilisi + Marty's Thoughts
Bette members-Please register for today’s Happy Hour with Professor Levan Tarkhnishvili for an update on Trump Tower Tbilisi, July 14 at 11 am Pacific; plus Martin Sheil follows the money on the Tower
***Bette’s paid members will find the registration link below the paywall. To join our community events and to help support independent investigative journalism in a time of grave peril, please upgrade to a paid membership.***
THIS EVENT BEGINS IN THREE HOURS. READ ON FOR NEW COMMENTS ON TRUMP TOWER TBILISI FROM RETIRED IRS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR MARTIN SHEIL, PLUS ONE RAY OF SUNSHINE.
“Georgia has been told for two years that it is drifting away from the West because the West does not understand it. A skyscraper bearing the Trump name will not change that diagnosis. It will only make it harder to see clearly. Vance’s plane did not land in Tbilisi for a reason. Before the first stone is laid, the public is entitled to know whether this tower is the beginning of a reset with Washington — or a very expensive piece of cover for the people Washington has already named.”—Levan Tarkhnishvili
BETTE MEMBERS: Please join us for another informative hour with Ilia State University professor Levan Tarkhnishvili, the author of this recent guest op-ed for the Bette Dangerous community on the money and shadow figures behind Trump Tower Tbilisi.
We’ll meet Tuesday, July 14, 11 am Pacific; 2 pm Eastern; 7 pm UK. Look for our bi-monthly Sunday Speakeasys to return in the Fall.
More about Levan:
Levan Tarkhnishvili is a Professor at Ilia State University, with his research interests including the values of society and transition, elections, secularism, and political transition. He formerly served as Chair of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Chair of the Central Election Commission, an advisor to former President Mikheil Saakashvili, and was an MP from 2012–2016.
Our community events have often focused on the country of Georgia, which was ground zero for Russian active measures.
AND THIS JUST IN: After I sent retired IRS criminal investigator Martin Sheil the Trump Tower Tbilisi op-ed, he zipped me the following comments:
H,
I thought I might shine a little light on the shadows, and demonstrate the possible means and manner, money can be moved surreptitiously when motivated to do so, and how offshore shell companies, banks and law firms often play a role in camouflaging the movement of money and/or provide shadows to shield the tracing of money movement.
Let’s run down some of the players that our friend Evan Tarkhnishvili writes about when referencing Trump Tower Tbilisi:
In my piece, I referenced Bidzina Ivanishvili’s association with offshore shell companies and a Swiss bank account. I also discuss Ivanishvili’s long-time association with Vladimir Putin and question whether Ivanishvili could be a bagman for Putin, since he possessed the means to do so, and given Putin and the KGB’s long history of using offshore shell companies and bank accounts, as well as real estate, to conceal/camouflage the movement of money.
So who am I talking about here?
The author referenced Giorgi Ramishvili and the Silk Road Group as an intermediary or possible shadow. ICIJ documents Ramishvili’s offshore shell companies and association with the Silk Road Group. The Silk Road Group is a shell company located in British Virgin Islands and limited to Ramishvili as his ultimate beneficial owner. Oh my!
The author also references the Sapir Corporation as involved in the Tbilisi transaction. Alex Sapir is the CEO of the Sapir Corporation, which has a history of partnering with the Trump Org in real estate transactions. Alex Tamir is the son of Tamir Sapir (Georgian-born businessman) who once resided in Trump Tower and partnered with Donald Trump in the construction of Trump Soho. Prior to that, Tamir partnered with Sam Kislin in the ownership of a Manhattan electronics store called Joy Luck Electronics, that catered to KGB officers and Soviet diplomats located in NYC. It has been reported that both Kislin and Sapir were associated with Russian organized crime in NY. Joy Luck reportedly sold Trump a couple of hundred television sets for one of Trump’s hotels. Fast forward to contemporary times and let’s see what ICIJ documents offshore-wise for the Sapir Corporation.
Oy vey - please note the association between the Sapir Organization registered in the British Virgin Islands and Mossack Fonseca - a notorious Panamanian Law firm with Swiss offices. Mossack Fonseca was at the very heart of the infamous Panama Papers that detailed international money laundering by oligarchs and government officials worldwide. Oh my!
Last Note – It should be noted that in my experience, successful prosecution of Federal money laundering or tax evasion charges, necessarily focuses on evidence of concealment, or in this particular case “camouflage.”
So that’s my two cents on this topic. Please stay tuned for my coming Substack tentatively titled Bribe Force One that outlines some potential legal basis for impeachment should Congress and DOJ be so inclined...
Best regards,
Marty
Marty also wanted to share the following with our community, a positive development that warmed his heart:
Yo H,
Did you see today’s court ruling against Trump’s IRS immunity settlement deal?
Judge Williams totally eviscerated Trump and particularly the lawyers involved for gaming the system. Judge Williams included sanctions against the lawyers involved, which were totally justified.
This ruling means neither Trump nor his family retain any immunity from the IRS and given that Trump is the single most corrupt President in American history going all the way back to Warren G Harding and the Teapot Dome scandal, it is good to know that the finest financial investigators in the world are back in play completely unleashed to keep the Grifter in Chief and his family in check!
Marty
Always great to hear from Marty!
He says he is currently “raising an adult beverage in the general direction of Judge Williams in South Florida” and making a toast “to the restoration of integrity in the U.S. Judiciary! Thank you Judge Williams.”
New members: I began the Happy Hour three years ago, when I realized many community members were struggling with despair. When we come together, I know I’m not the only one who feels better.
Look forward to seeing many of you today. I do not paywall my work here, so your paid memberships are everything to me. Thank you as always for supporting my work.
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Begin each day with a grateful heart.
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