Ahti Vilppula
Ahti Vilppula (born 1959) is a Finnish business man born in Finland. Vilppula lives abroad but has financial interests in Finland (2008). Vilppula started export between the West and the then USSR in Spain. He moved to Brussels, when the Soviet Union collapsed. Vilppula has bought a house in London costing several tens of millions of euros. Some companies with which Vilppula is involved have had the interest of financial regulators in Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.[1]
Together with Kai Mäkelä he has over the current decade been a major shareholder in companies such as Saunalahti, Alma Media, Talentum, and Ruukki Group. Vilppula sold a 10 per cent stake in Ruukki Group in 2008 spring to the Russian bank VTB.[1]
Newspapers and banks buyout
Ahti Vilppula bought up in the 1980s with Kai Mäkelä large holdings in provincial newspapers. Vilppula bought with private investor Taito Tuunanen shares in the Union Bank of Finland (SYP, today after mergers Nordea) and insurance company Sampo Bank. They sold a quarter of Sampo stock holdings with a considerable profit.[1]
Kazakhstan
Vilppula was the Director of International Operations of the Kazakhstan-based metals and gas giant Euro-Asian Group in 1997. In a few years, the company became a major name in the world chromium and ferrochromium markets. Vilppula has had close and cordial contacts with a group of billionaires known as the "Kazakhstan Trio", who are suspected by the Belgian authorities of money laundering, counterfeited documents, and links to organized crime.[1]
South Africa
Vilppula's was become a shareholder next port SA Chrome & Alloys in South Africa in 2001.[1]
Elections
Vilppula owned company Helsingin Mekaanikontalo paid in 2007 parliamentary elections EUR 10,000 donations to the National Coalition Party (Eheän Suomen Tuki ry), and to Kymenlaakson Talousseura - in other words to ministers Paula Lehtomäki, Jyrki Katainen, and Jyri Häkämies. All of those who in receipt of campaign finance funding from Vilppula's company Mekaanikontalo became ministers in Prime Minister Vanhanen's government. The politicians were embarrassingly unaware of their largest backers.[1]
Paula Lehtomäki, then the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development received EUR 10,000 for the March 2007 elections from Ruukki Group and another 10,000 from Vilppula's Mekaanikontalo.[1]
Ruukki Group has also been major donor for elections.