Ernests Rieksts - Fraud

Scandalous Latvian businessman Ernests Riekts, who is one of the accused in the criminal case regarding a tragic fire in a hostel he owned in Riga, has launched a crowd-funding campaign to purchase an island on the Fiji archipelago. He promises all investors will be able to build their own houses. TV3 programme Nekā personīga found out: the island the businessman wants to purchase is a nature reserve, and it is permitted to build only one structure there.

The programme also reports that Ernests Rieksts has not communicated with the owner of the island eyed for New Latvia.

More than one and a half century later – the story presented by NP starts – Krišjānis Valdemārs purchased a manor in Russia and invited his countrymen to create a colony there. At the time Latvians were no able to own land in Latvia, as it belonged to Germans. Although the land purchased in Russia wasn’t very good, it was owned by Latvians. There was a great deal of interest and by WWII several dozen Latvian colonies were formed in Russia.

Now Ernests Riekts wants to try his luck at this whole «colony-building business», it seems. He invites fellow Latvians to give money to purchase the tropical Vatuvara Island and build a country there – New Latvia. Rieksts promises to build a country with its own legislation. He also promises a waste-free lifestyle, «zero emission» policy, as well as highest quality education system, ecological food, quality healthcare. He even promises to «integrate endangered animals into society».

EUR 1 380 will get investors 15 m2 piece of land with a permit to build a one-storey house. With an additional EUR 800 investors will receive a permit for a two-storey house, and another EUR 600 on top will grant permission for a three-storey building.

If this offer sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. The photos used on the website advertising New Latvia