Lithuanian businessman challenges prison fine for calling officer ‘invalid’

Businessman Vilhelmas Germanas, detained on suspicion of financial crimes, has appealed a €90 fine imposed by Lithuania’s Prison Service (LKT) for allegedly insulting a prison officer by calling him an “invalid,” arguing the remark was provoked by the officer’s confiscation of his bracelet, LRT reports.

Germanas told Vilnius District Court on Thursday that his comment was not directed at the officer but was a reaction to the situation after his personal item was taken. “I did not intend to offend the officer with my words,” he stated, adding that even “the calmest, most rational person” could be provoked by such actions. He claimed the bracelet was not prohibited under prison rules.

The conflict occurred in January at Kaunas Prison, where Germanas had been held for 16 months before his release in February under stricter supervision measures, including a €1 million bail. He denied the accusation of insult, insisting the officer misinterpreted his words.

Germanas also alleged systematic provocation during his detention, claiming he was assigned a personal officer whose “goal was to provoke me every day and then file service reports.” His appeal seeks not only to overturn the fine but to prevent similar treatment of other detainees. “I simply want no one else to be treated this way,” he said.

The case stems from a broader investigation into the financial technology company Foxpay, where Germanas and six others—including his partner Ieva Trinkūnaitė and Mindaugas Navickas, husband of former Social Security Minister Monika Navickienė—face allegations of money laundering, fraud, and bribery. Authorities have seized €0.5 million in cash, cryptocurrency, and assets linked to the probe, with suspected laundering exceeding €17 million.