Entrepreneur arrested on charges of violating sanctions against Russia, 19 September 2023

A French national and prominent business figure in Finland, Gabriel Temin, was placed under arrest by the Itä-Uudenmaan District Court on Monday, following suspicions of serious regulatory violations. A long-term resident of Finland since 1991, Temin is currently the CEO of two Finnish companies. The court deemed necessary his arrest, instead of an enhanced travel ban, considering the potential risk of him interfering with the investigation, including the possibility of destroying related materials.

Temin refrained from commenting on the allegations to the media. His lawyer, Jussi Kaasalainen, stated his client refutes the allegations and opposes the arrest...

...[T]wo Finnish companies, Siberica and Luminor, both led by Temin, were reported to have been added to the US sanctions list. Both companies are alleged to have supplied foreign electronic products to Russia. These products include cameras used in drones, powerful optical filters, and lithium batteries. Siberica, a warehousing company, and Luminor, a company involved in freight and cargo handling, are small enterprises with connections to each other...

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed that she is aware of the case but clarified that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have jurisdiction over US sanctions or their interpretation. She further stated that the companies themselves bear a significant portion of the responsibility...