War Dog Millionaire

Credit: Pavla Holcova, OCCRP Published: January 24, 2018

Jaroslav Strnad, the chief financial backer of the Czech president, has been secretly snapping up arms stockpiles and factories throughout the Balkans with the help of a cast of notorious local characters. The buy-up has included tens of millions of rounds of old ammunition of a type so unreliable that a previous attempt to sell it inspired a Hollywood movie.

Stories

Czech President’s Main Donor on Balkan Arms Shopping Spree

Jaroslav Strnad is the main campaign backer of Czech President Miloš Zeman, who is up for reelection this week. Why did he go on an arms buying spree in the Balkans?

24 January 2018 Read the article

Made in China: How Czech Companies Bought Tens of Millions of Rounds of Old Ammunition

Millions of rounds of old Chinese munitions, hoarded since the Cold War, were rotting away in Albanian warehouses. Now they've been snapped up by Czech arms magnates. The story of some very modern arms deals in the heart of Europe.

24 January 2018 Read the article

Strnad’s Balkan Factory Buy-Up

Czech arms tycoon Jaroslav Strnad did not limit his Balkan shopping spree to​ stockpiled​ munitions. The businessman also bought at least two bankrupt, formerly state-owned factories in the former Yugoslavia, both linked to the arms industry.

24 January 2018 Read the article

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