UK Court Rules Ricardo Salinas Pliego Committed Abuse in Fraud Lawsuit Strategy

UK Court Rules Against Salinas Pliego in Fraud Litigation

Assets Unfrozen Following Judicial Findings

As a direct consequence of the ruling, the court ordered the lifting of a global asset freeze previously imposed on Sklarov. The judges stated that these freezing orders would not have been maintained had the methods used by Black Cube to obtain evidence been disclosed to the court at the time of the initial request.

The dispute originated from a financial agreement in which Salinas Pliego provided Grupo Elektra shares as collateral for a margin loan. Salinas Pliego alleges that Sklarov, through his firm Astor Asset Management, sold those shares without authorization and withheld approximately 400 million dollars in proceeds. Sklarov has rejected these accusations and denied claims that he misled the businessman regarding his firm’s background.

Despite the court’s sharp criticism of the evidence-gathering tactics, the judges determined that the underlying civil lawsuit filed by Salinas Pliego in the UK may continue toward trial.

Black Cube Engagement and Legal Responses

Records indicate that in 2024, a company owned by Salinas Pliego contracted Black Cube for 1.14 million pounds—approximately 1.5 million dollars—plus additional economic incentives, to gather intelligence on Sklarov. The investigation involved an agent posing as another individual to engage Sklarov’s lawyer in a dinner setting, during which the agent induced the disclosure of protected information.

However, his new legal representatives subsequently utilized the information to move for a summary judgment.

In response to the ruling, Luciano Pascoe, a spokesperson for Salinas Pliego, maintained that all evidence presented to the British court was obtained in compliance with the law. A representative for Black Cube similarly asserted that their evidence was collected legally, stating that the court’s decision did not conclude otherwise.

Parallel Legal Battles in the United States

The UK ruling coincides with a separate, ongoing criminal proceeding in the United States. Vladimir Sklarov is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, facing federal fraud charges. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for an appearance in a U.S. court on July 27.

The long-running conflict has impacted Grupo Elektra, which has seen its share price fluctuate significantly during the proceedings.

Sources: MVS Noticias, La Silla Rota.