Hello, my name is Ilja Borisovs, aka Shvembldr. I am a Latvian citizen, born in Riga. I built my career as a generative artist. I created algorithmic artworks and sold them as NFTs, and in 2021, I was one of the most commercially successful artists in this field. I declared my income and paid €3 102 167 in taxes in Latvia. The criminal investigation opened against me by the Latvian police destroyed my career, my livelihood, and the life I had built.
This website is a public case file. It contains information about my activity as an artist, documented income, tax payments, court decisions, official correspondence, and the procedural status of the criminal case. Its purpose is to make the facts verifiable for journalists, lawyers, public officials, and anyone following the case.
On 10 February 2022, Latvian police seized all my assets in criminal proceedings No. 11815000222 under Section 195(3) of the Latvian Criminal Law — large-scale money laundering or money laundering committed by an organised group, punishable by 3 to 12 years in prison. The case alleged that the proceeds of my NFT sales were criminally obtained funds being laundered.
On 17 February 2025, the Economic Court terminated the special process concerning criminally obtained property and ordered the seized funds released.
On 15 October 2025, the Riga Regional Court of Appeal upheld that decision. The appeal decision is not subject to further appeal.
On 16 October 2025, the asset seizure was formally lifted. The underlying criminal case remains open. No compensation has been paid. No apology has been issued.
The largest single loss — the €892 245 late-payment penalty — is the one no authority will undo. The tax office can only write it off on a decision from the Prosecutor General; the Prosecutor General says the law covers only harm caused by a bank or the financial-intelligence service, never a police seizure. The state froze the money, charged the penalty, and now says it has no mechanism to fix it. Read how this works →
The cost of being right.
late-interest charged because the seizure made it impossible to pay tax on time
charged to enforce the tax debt the seizure caused
to defend a case two courts found unsupported by evidence
purchasing power lost on the frozen funds, CSP CPI Feb 2022 → Oct 2025
foregone return on the frozen funds, 5% a year over 1 344 days
| Item | Cause | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tax penalty | late-interest charged because the seizure made it impossible to pay tax on time | 892 244.93 € |
| Bailiff fees | charged to enforce the tax debt the seizure caused | 121 956.09 € |
| Legal costs | to defend a case two courts found unsupported by evidence | 728 952.99 € |
| Inflation loss | purchasing power lost on the frozen funds, CSP CPI Feb 2022 → Oct 2025 | 1 389 547.57 € |
| Lost real return | foregone return on the frozen funds, 5% a year over 1 344 days | 903 776.97 € |
| Total — damages | 4 036 478.55 € | |
These are the measurable losses. The moral harm is incomparable.
Counting since the criminal proceedings opened on 3 February 2022.
Current status
The criminal case remains open. No charges have been brought against me.
Tax penalties (892 244.93 €) and bailiff fees (121 956.09 €) caused by the seizure have not been refunded.
I cannot claim compensation for damages while the criminal case remains open.
No state institution has acknowledged that any of this was wrong.
The fight now continues beyond Latvia — to the European Court of Human Rights.
Everything is public. Check it yourself.
All transactions are recorded on-chain forever and can never be changed. My identity, wallets, and sales are open.
The documents.
What was being laundered.
