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Can Danny & The Mobster Deliver for
Euro 2012?
Continued . . .
Mark Blinder (left), confirmed by Daniel Mejia’s Miami office as their agent in Ukraine, claims that 40% of Sun Land is owned by the State of Florida. But there’s no evidence of that in the company’s filings. They admit to just four employees and annual sales of only $260,000. Blinder also claims that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, brother of the American president will be a ‘consultant’ to the project.
‘I am one of the people, who came up with this project,’ says Blinder. ‘Sun Land’s participation is the result of selection work on the world financial markets.’
Blinder’s relationship with Daniel Mejia was unearthed by Kiev reporter Vlad Lavrov who tracked him to an eighth-floor apartment in one of the city’s most prestigious developments.
‘He was surrounded by fine art and paintings,’ says Lavrov, ‘and souvenirs from Odesa, his home town. Blinder was very confident about Daniel Mejia and his Sun Land company. Then I showed him the company’s Florida records. He went red and started mumbling. He seemed lost for words.’
When Lavrov raised the criticisms of Sun Land in the Dominican Republic Blinder replied, ‘They hate Sun Land. Daniel Mejia has a good relationship with the president. Those who are against Sun Land oppose the President.’ Blinder insisted that ‘Sun Land has been recommended to Ukraine by the US government.’
Lavrov adds, ‘When I asked him about allegations in Germany and Spain that he was Russian Mafia and involved in money laundering – and more – he stood up and went out to his balcony. It was December and very cold. He smoked a cigarette then came back in and spoke in a self-pitying way.’
He explained to Lavrov, ‘I lived in Spain for quite a long time. This story caused me a lot of headaches. It was in the summer when journalists usually have nothing to write about.
‘At that time any Russian who had more than one million dollars on his account, a private house and guards, especially in Basque country where they don’t like foreigners, would automatically be considered connected to mafia.’
Blinder says a new business Sun Land Ukraine will be set up ‘with 100% foreign capital and my direct participation.’ Companies who want a share of the business will have to play ‘by local rules.’
Meanwhile, Daniel Mejia made new contacts at a UN sponsored Global Compact conference in Geneva in 2007. Delegates solemnly denounced ‘bribery, extortion and other forms of corruption.’ Present were bosses from Coca-Cola, McKinsey, Ericsson, Nestle and BT.
A charity, the Public-Private Alliance Foundation, has been created by Mr Mejia. Its website is decorated with logos of worthy organisations and pictures of needy children. Mejia’s message is ‘the positive role business can play in promoting development.’
Although his PPAF was founded in 2006, there’s much to be done. Click on ‘Testimonials’ and discover ‘Coming soon!!!!!’ Similarly, there are no ‘Associates’ or ‘Senior Fellows.’ The ‘Executive Assistant’ is Mr Mejia’s secretary.
Recently Mejia has teamed with a two-man business, the Las Vegas based ‘Bioolio Group’ which promotes a ‘$10 million Biodiesel Project.’ When the company registered two years ago annual earnings were estimated at less than $10,000. Nevada officials closed them down because they failed to file adequate information. But now they claim ‘sustainable and consistent growth’ and an ‘enhanced place in the marketplace.’
Meanwhile the clock is ticking to Euro 2012. UEFA president Michel Platini is due to visit Ukraine next month for a final decision on whether the country is making sufficient progress.
Sunday Herald, 22 March 2009 -
Cold Comfort for Ukraine