Top European Central Bank Boss Denies Bribery Charges

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) – The Latvian member of the European Central Bank’s top policymaking board has rejected charges of bribery.

Latvian broadcaster LSM cites Ilmars Rimsevics, head of the Baltic country’s central bank, as saying: “I completely deny all these allegations.” He was charged Thursday and was presented with them Friday.

Rimsevics is accused of accepting bribes in a scandal that highlights the EU country’s problems with corruption.

Media reports say that, among other things, a bank paid for Rimsevics to holiday in eastern Russia. The Associated Press published in February a photo of him on such a trip.

Rimsevics said the allegation of him not paying for a fishing trip “seems to me to be close to incredible.”

He earlier has said he is being targeted by commercial banks.