The man who recorded and subsequently leaked audio of the former director of ICE-SAR (Landsbjörg) discussing how to launder money has spoken to the press, saying he feared for his physical safety, and that he was not innocent of taking part in the scheme himself.
As reported, Guðmundur Örn Jóhannsson (above) took a temporary leave of his position after audio was uploaded wherein he allegedly gives specific instructions on how to move tens of millions of krónur through ICE-SAR and into five hypothetical companies. The video, hosted on YouTube, also includes screencaps of emails from Guðmundur providing further instructions on money laundering.
The story has now taken a turn for the even more bizarre. Vísir has spoken to the man who made the recording, and he alleges that he originally leaked the audio because he was being threatened by a “handrukkari” – a hired thug typically employed to collect drug debts – who was working for Guðmundur.
Entrepreneur Bóas Ragnar Bóasson – who was the other party heard in the audio that was leaked – told reporters that he initially sent copies of the audio to four chairmen of ICE-SAR, after he learned that a handrukkari had been sent after him to collect money allegedly owed to Guðmundur. Bóas alleges that the debt, about 60 million krónur, has been mostly paid off. This debt is currently being investigated by capital area police.
After uploading the audio to YouTube last Sunday and sending the link to the chairmen, the following day he received a notice from an attorney for Guðmundur and his partner, Sigurður Kolbeinsson. The notice ordered Bóas to take down the video at once and announce that the entire thing had been a fabrication. Bóas contends furthermore that he has ten hours worth of material on Guðmundur, and that the only editing he did on the audio was to remove about six minutes of “small talk about day-to-day things”.
At the same time, Bóas does not paint himself as a hero. He admits fully that “I’m not innocent … maybe I let greed get the best of me”, but maintains that his initial leaking of the audio was in reaction to the threat of the handrukkari. He says that his house is under police surveillance, but reporters were unable to confirm if this is true at the time of this writing.
Bóas concluded by saying that there will be more material on the matter leaked. In the meantime, police are investigating what may prove to be one of Iceland’s most incredible money laundering cases to date.
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