Documents: Victor Muller - from hero to fugitive
Published 2013-05-26 07:37
Photo: Scanpix
Broken promises and lost millions. Victor Muller has for several years managed to go from being a celebrated hero into a hunted man.
A cold January evening in 2010 stood a lanky Dutchman outside Cafe Opera and introduced himself to Sweden. Victor Muller, founder of the tiny sports car maker Spyker, had bought Saab Automobile.
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FACTS
SAAB
1949: Production of the first Saab car starts
1990: General Motors enters Saab Automobile mined from the Saab-Scania
1998: General Motors becomes the sole owner
2009: GM decides to close down Saab
2010: Spyker buys Saab
2011: Filing for bankruptcy
2012: Swedish-Chinese Nevs buys bankrupt
Autumn 2013: Nevs plans to start production in Trollhattan back of Saab cars
Automaker had then for many years been abused by their U.S. owner General Motors. Now painted "Victory Victor" as he quickly named, a bright future for the Swedish Classic.
"We are clearly a cat with nine lives and I would say that this is the life number seven." (Muller waiting for the district court's decision on the reorganization)
It was a strange bird that landed in the Swedish economy.
"He was no ordinary Smith-president", one of his associates told di.se if fembarnsfadern.
"Intelligent lord" and "creative entrepreneur" are other words his former business associates use to describe the 53-year-old who likes to dress in exclusive and eye-catching costumes, preferably with an elegant knotted scarf.
His sidekick in the Saab purchase also raised questions. The Russian banker Vladimir Antonov was surrounded by rumors of Mafia connections and money laundering. He is currently on suspicion of embezzlement and fraud in the Lithuanian bank Snoras.
"Saab is secured for a number of years to come," promised the Dutchman that night in the King's Garden. It became more promises he could not keep:
Saab, which are not turned a profit in years, would in 2012 selling 100,000 cars and be a profit machine. The outcome for 2010 was about 30,000 cars.
The employees would become partners
Automaker would be listed
The money was enough to make Saab profitable
Marrying together Saab and Spyker was a kalasidé, here were synergies to download
A year later, all cracked. The company was bleeding, the money was gone and no quotation was never.
When CEO Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab fled from the spring of 2011 took Victor Muller and myself over the plan and a hopeless hunt around the world for more money began. In the end, it was not anymore, December 19, 2011 was declared Saab Automobile is bankrupt.
"This is the blackest day in my career, probably also in Saab's history," said Victor Muller then.
But his brief appearances in the Saab was a good deal for 53-year-old. According di.se's earlier calculations, he took out almost 20 million in salary.
But in addition has the lawyer Victor Muller billed Saab consulting fees instead of picking out salary, while he gave himself bonuses despite the company's heavy losses.
Now he is sought by justice for his insertion in the skein with serious tax evasion. On Monday arrested three of his closest associates and had to spend the night in jail.
Self rumored Victor Muller this weekend to be in Monaco to watch the Formula 1.
He is once again CEO of Spyker, whose site has been cleared of everything reminiscent of Saab years. Not even in Victor Muller's resume says something about Saab.
And when Di's reporters seeking contact with him discards the previously talkative Dutchman unreachable. A short text "Sorry. No.. Vic "is everything.
When the bankruptcy was a fact in 2011 Muller went to the factory in Trollhättan to meet the employees and the press.
When asked if he had any regrets, he replied simply:
"No, that would be childish."
Sources: di.se, Spyker's website, interviews
Jonas Lindblad
jonas.lindblad @ di.se