Report: Feds Forced Out Russian Backer in Spyker’s Saab Bid Due to Mafia Ties

The sale of Saab to Spyker was delayed due to suspicions that one of the Dutch exotic car maker’s major shareholders had ties to the Russian mafia. According to a recent report by Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri, the Swedish security force Sapo investigated former Spyker shareholder Alexander Antonov and determined that there was “strong suspicion” of ties to organized crime.

That information was then relayed to the FBI, and on to the U.S. government, which essentially told General Motors to put a hold on the sale.

Not long after, Antonov and his investment firm Convers Group, sold back $4.6 million in shares to CEO Victor Muller, paving the way for a new bid, which was successful.

Neither General Motors, nor Spyker have made any official comment on the matter.

[Source: Dagens Industri via Fox News]