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RUSSIAN BUSINESSMEN VLADIMIR AND ALEXANDR KHOLODNYAK
SUCCEED IN REMOVING INTERPOL RED NOTICE

Miami, Florida, U.S.A. -Sept. 2016- Vladimir and Alexandr Kholodnyak, Russian nationals and businessmen, have prevailed in their challenge to the INTERPOL Red Notices issued in their names. Based on the information submitted in their challenge, INTERPOL has deleted the Red Notices against both men’s name from its databases.

INTERPOL’s decision to remove the Red Notice is an important step in the brothers’ efforts to clear their names of criminal charges that were filed against them by Russian officials.

Like many other business owners in Russia, the Kholdonyaks were subjected to unjustified and unfair treatment in Russia’s criminal justice system due to their status as private businessmen who refused to support the
government’s political and economic agenda.

The case began when the Kholodnyak’s privately held business, which was engaged in construction, became the object of harassment and interference by a competitor who held a position within the regional Russian government. When the Competitor’s civil and administrative actions failed to drive the Kholodnyaks out of
business, criminal charges were filed against them. Realizing that they were being unjustly targeted, the Kholodnyaks fled the country. Eventually, criminal charges were filed. The Kholodnyaks made their way to the United States, where they have filed for political asylum.

After the brothers realized that INTERPOL Red Notices had been issued against them, they immediately began their efforts to seek the removal of the Notices. Focusing on the political motivation and private business nature of the underlying charges, the Kholodnyaks and their U.S.-based attorney Michelle Estlund prepared a challenge to the Red Notices. They filed the challenges in October of 2015.

The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (“CCF”), INTERPOL reviewed the information that the Kholodnyaks and Ms. Estlund provided. After the review, the CCF recommended that the information in the Kholodnyaks’ names be permanently deleted from INTERPOL’s files, and that recommendation was accepted.

In September of 2016, the CCF confirmed in its decision letter that:

  • The data registered in INTERPOL’s files was not compliant with INTERPOL’s rules. Consequently, the Commission recommended that INTERPOL delete the data concerned.
  • INTERPOL’s General Secretariat has informed all INTERPOL National Central Bureaus that the data has been deleted from INTERPOL’s files.
  • All NCBs have been instructed to update their national databases to reflect the removal of the Kholdonyaks’ data.

The Kholodnyaks look forward to rebuilding their lives and are grateful to the CCF and INTERPOL for the time and attention that was provided in the evaluation of their cases.