"Dangerous" disclosure on murky ownership of Yuri Lopatinsky triggers sale of shares at Associated Seafoods?

Did a 'Subject Access Request' – which exposed "dangerous" information on 'Moscow broker' Yuri Lopatinsky and was seen as a "direct attack" on Associated Seafoods Ltd – trigger the sale of shares and exit of Chairman Bill Hazeldean in December 2022? That's certainly the implication – my SAR directed at Associated Seafoods Ltd was filed on 15 December 2022 and one week later on 22 December 2022 shareholders including Hazeldean and the Sloan family suddenly sold up after over a decade of investment.

"We've been involved with ASL for 11 years building it up, and it's time to move on," said Bill Hazeldean in an article published by Undercurrent News on 9 January 2023. Whether it is coincidence or causation is up for debate. Here's what we know about the murky world of Associated Seafood Ltd (secretly owned by Yuri Lopatinsky via British Virgin Islands-based Scottish Seafood Investments and Farm Originals).

A SAR disclosure by Associated Seafoods in January 2023 includes this redacted email from Bill Hazeldean when Chairman of Associated Seafoods Ltd (ASL) sent in April 2022:

Here's the 'dangerous' direct attacked emailed to Marks & Spencer and Ocean Beauty – customers of Associated Seafoods Ltd – in April 2022:

Download the Subject Access Request disclosure by Associated Seafood Ltd to Don Staniford dated 16 January 2023 as a PDF online here

Here's a front page story published in The Sunday Mail in March 2022:

$camon $cotland reported in April 2022:

Read in full via Press Release: Lopatinsky's Laundromat – more dirt on the "mysterious millionaire oligarch with links to Russian spy" & Russian security agencies comes out in the wash (26 April 2022)

How can 'Team Scotland' legitimately "fly the flag for Scotland" with two players (@asl_seafoods & @LochFyneOysters) owned by Yuri Lopatinsky (outed @HouseofCommons as closely connected to the SVR/FSB & dirty Russian money)? https://t.co/HgHy34DPIo @KeithFindlay1 @pressjournal

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 26, 2022

Another email disclosed by Associated Seafoods Ltd via SAR in January 2023 detailed:

When @BBCNews @BBCScotlandNews reported on a £2.7m investment @asl_seafoods & dozens of new jobs why didn't they report on owner Yuri Lopatinsky (outed as connected to Russian spies & dirty Russian money)? https://t.co/XabenhLrDC #JustSaying #SloppyShoddyJournalism #BBC #Scotland

— Don Staniford (@TheGAAIA) April 19, 2022

Another email disclosed by Associated Seafoods via SAR in January 2023 cited the AGM of the River Spey Anglers Association (where I spoke on the impacts of salmon farming):

Here's video footage and photos from the event in November 2019:

Other emails disclosed by Associated Seafoods via SAR in January 2023 referred to me as a "total crackpot" and "extremist":

Associated Seafoods wrote to $camon $cotland on 16 January 2023 (letter dated 14 January 2023) in response to a Subject Access Request filed on 15 December 2022:

From: Victor West <victor.west@associatedseafoods.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 10:02 AM
Subject: Fwd: Information request
To: salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>

Dear Mr Staniford,

Please find info in response to your request of the 15th December 2022.

Best Regards,

Victor West

W Victor West

CEO

3-15 Low Street // Buckie // Scotland // AB56 1UX

Here's the Subject Access Request filed on 15 December 2022 (my address is redacted so I don't get even more hate mail):

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 12:50 PM
Subject: Subject Access Request from Don Staniford
To: <information@associatedseafoods.com>

Please consider this a formal Subject Access Request from Don Staniford.

A copy of my current Passport is attached for proof of identity.

My full name is Donald Charles Staniford.

My date of birth is: 17/5/1971

My email address is: salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com

My home address is: [REDACTED]

My phone number is: 07771 541826

I am currently the Director of $camon $cotland (formerly Scottish Salmon Watch).

Here's the Subject Access Request filed today (15 December 2022):

Please supply the personal data you hold about me, which I am entitled to receive under data protection law, since 1 January 2018 – including:

– information relating to surveillance (including computer hacking, private investigators, spying, monitoring of social media and other tracking of Don Staniford)

– information relating to filming outside Yuri Lopatinsky's Edinburgh residence in Charlotte Square

– information relating to Yuri Lopatinsky (owner of Associated Seafood, Loch Fyne Oysters, Lossie Seafoods, Moray Seafoods etc) and Craig Anderson

– information relating to secret filming at salmon farms, land-bases, processing plants, mort bins and salmon farming facilities/offices

– information referencing Don Staniford

If you need any more information, please let me know as soon as possible.

Please provide the information electronically.

It may be helpful for you to know that data protection law requires you to respond to a request for personal data within one calendar month.

If you do not normally deal with these requests, please pass this letter to your data protection officer or relevant staff member.

Please provide a receipt for this SAR request.

Thanks,

Don Staniford

Director, $camon $cotland

The Subject Access Request disclosure by Associated Seafoods Ltd – and any private discussions about 'dangerous' attacks via negative press coverage – appears to have triggered an exodus of shareholders. Filings at Companies House dated 22 December 2022 detail the termination of directors and sale of shares in Associated Seafoods Ltd:

Here's a filing at Companies House dated 22 December 2022 re. the termination of Bill Hazeldean (William James Hazeldean) as Director of Associated Seafoods Ltd:

Here's a filing at Companies House dated 22 December 2022 re. the termination of Patrick Croan as Director of Associated Seafoods Ltd:

Undercurrent News reported on 9 January 2023 (sourced apparently from an exclusive conversation with Bill Hazeldean):

Download article as a PDF online here

A filing at Companies House in March 2023 lists Farm Originals (a company owned/controlled by Yuri Lopatinsky) at 10A Charlotte Square in Edinburgh as the owner of Associated Seafoods:

Whilst it seems that shareholders of Associated Seafoods Ltd took the dangers of 'Lopatinsky's Laundromat' seriously, others connection to the 'Moscow broker' dismissed any notion that their boss was a money-launderer as "nonsense". A Subject Access Request disclosure on 23 December 2022 by CBRE (a property company linked to the Lopatinsky-owned Charlotte Square Collection) included:

The CBRE's SAR disclosure (23 December 2022) cites 'YL's lawyers':

As of 6 June 2023, I have not heard from Yuri Lopatinsky's lawyers in connection to the various 'Lopatinsky's Laundromat' reports. In March 2022, I wrote to Yuri Lopatinsky's lawyers at Woods Whur:

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 28, 2022 at 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: Yuri Lopatinsky – Woods Whur client
To: <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>, <paddy@woodswhur.co.uk>
Cc: <info@woodswhur.co.uk>

Andrew/Paddy,

Today I raised the issue of Yuri Lopatinsky with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

I understand that Yuri Lopatinsky is not currently on the UK sanctions list but if he does become listed there are clear SRA rules:

https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/news/press/financial-sanctions-russia/

However, I understand there are already rules in place re. money laundering:

https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/resources/money-laundering/

Woods Whurr will no doubt be much more familiar with the guidance and rules than myself:

https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/resources/money-laundering/guidance-support/

However, in the information I have read via the SRA and the Law Society it seems clear that law firms such as Woods Whurr have to comply with rules on money laundering including due diligence of their clients: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/anti-money-laundering

Again, I am not clear on the specific rules and laws to safeguard against money laundering:

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/en/topics/anti-money-laundering/anti-money-laundering-guidance

Nevertheless, from what I have researched and read about Yuri Lopatinsky's financial dealings, investments and money pathways (as detailed to some extent in the Panama Papers) it seems clear that his source of wealth may be subject to greater scrutiny than others.

Has Woods Whurr conducted the appropriate level of due diligence with respect to Yuri Lopatinsky and money laundering risks?

My frame of reference here is and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct:

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/public/for-public-visitors/using-a-solicitor/complain-about-a-solicitor

https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor

Obviously, Woods Whurr is not my solicitor (your client is Yuri Lopatinsky) so I am not clear if this is the appropriate mechanism to raise a complaint.

Notwithstanding, would it be possible for Woods Whurr to investigate further Yuri Lopatinsky's connections to money laundering? As part of your money laundering investigation into your client Yuri Loptainsky – when he was hired by you in 2019 and/or before – were Woods Whurr aware of the full scale of his financial activities?

Certainly, the comments made in the House of Commons on 17 January 2022 by Liam Byrne MP (as detailed in my report: Yuri Lopatinsky: The Spy Who Laundered $almoney for the Russian/Norwegian $almafia (& is a neighbour of the First Minister of $cotland)? dated 27 March 2022), were not available to Woods Whurr or myself.

In view of recent information – and the threat of UK sanctions against your client – do you still act for Mr Lopatinsky?

Thanks,

Don

I wrote again to Yuri Lopatinsky's lawyers in April 2022:

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2022 at 10:06 AM
Subject: Yuri Lopatinsky – is he still a Woods Whur client?
To: <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>, <paddy@woodswhur.co.uk>, <Chris@woodswhur.co.uk>, <amanda@woodswhur.co.uk>, <colin@woodswhur.co.uk>

Further to previous correspondence on Yuri Lopatinsky, I've drafted:

Lopatinsky's Laundromat (Part 1): AVISMA – A Case Study in Corruption, Corporate Fraud & Money Laundering (15 April 2022)

Yuri Lopatinsky: His Story (Chronology/Biography) (12 April 2022)

Yuri Lopatinsky: The $py Who Laundered $almoney for the Russian/Norwegian $almafia UPDATED with abstract but a few gaps (8 April 2022)

Any information – especially in relation to money laundering and fraud – would be much appreciated. Did Woods Whur perform all the necessary money laundering checks before being instructed by Yuri Lopatinsky in 2019?

Is Yuri Lopatinsky still a Woods Whur client?

Please pass this email onto James Thomspson – author of the threatening letter sent on Woods Whur letterhead in May 2019 (served in June 2019).

Best fishes,

Don Staniford

Director, $camon $cotland

A follow up email was sent later in April 2022:

From: Don Staniford [mailto:salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2022 11:16
To: Andrew Woods <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>; Paddy Whur <paddy@woodswhur.co.uk>; Amanda Usher <Amanda@woodswhur.co.uk>; Colin Manchester <colin@woodswhur.co.uk>; Christopher Rees-Gay <chris@woodswhur.co.uk>
Subject: Lopatinsky's Laundromat (Part 2): Dishonour Among Thieves

Does Woods Whur still represent money launderer Yuri Lopatinsky?

A press release has just been issued via: Lopatinsky's Laundromat – More Dirt on the "Mysterious Millionaire Oligarch With Links to Russian Spy" & Russian spy agencies!

Download report in full via: Lopatinsky's Laundromat (Part 2): Dishonour Among Thieves (26 April 2022)

$camon Scotland sent a letter today to Scottish Ministers and the UK Government on the public monies trousered by Lopatinsky's companies:

Letter/FOI request to Scottish Ministers & UK Government on Public Monies Given to Yuri Lopatinsky's Companies

Tweet via: https://twitter.com/TheGAAIA/status/1518881702478761984

Best fishes,

Don

Woods Whurr replied in April 2022:

From: Andrew Woods <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>
Date: Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 3:09 PM
Subject: RE: Lopatinsky's Laundromat (Part 2): Dishonour Among Thieves
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>, Paddy Whur <paddy@woodswhur.co.uk>, Amanda Usher <Amanda@woodswhur.co.uk>, Christopher Rees-Gay <chris@woodswhur.co.uk>
Cc: Andrew Woods <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>

Don

Further to the below I am e mailing to confirm that we do not act for/represent the above (However the surname is spelt) and he is not a client of the firm. Mr Thompson left the firm in November 2020.

Regards

Andrew

Andrew Woods

Woods Whur 2014 Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)113 234 3055
Mobile: 07738 170138

andrew@woodswhur.co.uk

St James House, 28 Park Place, Leeds LS1 2SP

I emailed back via:

From: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: Lopatinsky's Laundromat (Part 2): Dishonour Among Thieves
To: Andrew Woods <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>
Cc: Paddy Whur <paddy@woodswhur.co.uk>, Amanda Usher <Amanda@woodswhur.co.uk>, Christopher Rees-Gay <chris@woodswhur.co.uk>

Thanks – but Woods Whur did act for Yuri Lopatinsky (Yuriy Lopatynskyy) in May 2019 when James Thompson sent the threatening letter?

What money laundering checks did Woods Whur carry out on your client Mr Lopatinsky/Lopatynskyy?

And here's the reply:

From: Andrew Woods <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>
Date: Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 6:14 PM
Subject: RE: Lopatinsky's Laundromat (Part 2): Dishonour Among Thieves
To: Don Staniford <salmonfarmingkills@gmail.com>
Cc: Paddy Whur <paddy@woodswhur.co.uk>, Amanda Usher <Amanda@woodswhur.co.uk>, Christopher Rees-Gay <chris@woodswhur.co.uk>, Andrew Woods <andrew@woodswhur.co.uk>

Don

I will not be providing any further information which is confidential. We do not act for or represent this person.