Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson purchased a 25 percent share in the British meat processing company Muddy Boots, his first investment in the British retail market since Icelandic investment company Baugur, of which he was CEO and later chair, was declared bankrupt in 2009.
Jón Ásgeir. Photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
According to The Telegraph, Muddy Boots is a Worcestershire-based premium burger business founded by husband and wife Roland and Miranda Ballard. Jón Ásgeir has also joined the company’s board as a non-executive director.
Mrs. Ballard confirmed the move: “We really wanted Jón on board. We had four firm offers of investment and we chose Jón. We trust him and we like him and we wanted someone with a bit of guts, as well as experience in retail.”
As reported last week, Jón Ásgeir and the other three defendants in the so-called Aurum case denied charges when it was filed at Reykjavík District Court.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor had earlier filed charges against Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson, Lárus Welding, Magnús Arnar Arngrímsson and Bjarni Jóhannesson. Jón Ásgeir and Bjarni are facing charges as abettors in the breach of trust case and Lárus and Magnús as main defendants.
The defense attorneys objected to the 6,000 pages of evidence submitted by the Special Prosecutor on the grounds that the defendants and their attorneys had not had the opportunity to review the documentation.
The case was postponed until Wednesday.
Click here to read more about the court case and here for more on Jón Ásgeir’s ambitions of returning to the UK retail market.
ZR
