Former Lithuanian ambassador to Russia arrested on allegations of helping Russian banker get Schengen visa

Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service has arrested Rimantas Šidlauskas, the country’s former ambassador to the Russian Federation. The Lithuanian news outlet Delfi reported that the diplomat is suspected of “influence trading”: law enforcement agents believe that he promised to acquire a Schengen Zone visa for a Russian citizen in exchange for that individual’s efforts to “influence a particular group of people.”

That Russian citizen may be Rinat Nasyrov, a co-owner of New Industrial Bank, who was also reportedly arrested. The bank was deprived of its license in August of 2018 because Russia’s Central Bank found that it took part in suspicious business dealings.