By: Vida Kocjan
Public posts reveal that Prime Minister Robert Golob’s mistress, Tina Gaber, has promoted various pyramid schemes in the past, deceiving, and defrauding hundreds of people who lost millions of euros in invested money. Despite actively deleting any evidence that could incriminate her from her YouTube channel and other social media platforms, some things still remain.
From publicly available posts, it is evident that Golob’s mistress was involved with enthusiasts of fast and luxurious cars and crypto scams such as Bereal, Estatium, and Xaurum. These crypto pyramids caused the disappearance of millions of euros. Slovenian government and media outlets favouring the parallel mechanism remain silent on this matter. Additionally, there are numerous testimonies indicating that Tina Gaber was a “companion” to members of high society abroad, including in Luxembourg. What has happened that she is now the mistress of Robert Golob, who is still married, with his family becoming a secondary matter, despite him swearing allegiance to them and his children just a few months ago, remains unknown.
Opinions on this matter are divided. Some argue that this companionship is merely a cover-up and distraction from other issues, including the failures of Robert Golob as Prime Minister and the government as a whole. This is highly likely, but time will tell what is happening and what we are witnessing now.
Cryptocurrency promoter
From recent videos that have been published, it is evident that Gaber also presented herself as a promoter of the disappeared Slovenian cryptocurrency Xaurum. Investors now realise that it was a so-called exit scam, meaning that the founders encouraged the public to invest, then took the invested money and simply vanished without a trace of the project.
According to media revelations, the head of global sales for the cryptocurrency Xaurum was Klemen Nicoletti, who was publicly known from the story of the company Majbert Pharm and its rapid tests. It has been confirmed by multiple unrelated sources that Nicoletti, during one of the investigative commissions in the National Assembly, stated that it was Tina Gaber who introduced him to Rok Snežič.
Pyramid schemes
In these cases, we are dealing with a so-called Ponzi scheme, which, like other pyramid schemes, operates by promising extraordinary earnings. The organiser of such a scheme directly engages with clients and offers fantastic investments based on secretive business ventures, insider information, and vague explanations about the investments. Like any fraud, this type of scheme is based on psychology. The scheme’s organiser must first establish a personal relationship built on trust with their clients, as it is crucial for the client to believe and trust them. Promoters play a significant role in this, and Tina Gaber seems to have been quite convenient for that purpose.
“Full of cameras and a piece of gold”
Gaber promoted Xaurum on her Facebook page as well, where she wrote about her vision of engagement. She wrote, “Full of cameras from all sides, a photographer, and one big piece of gold.” She took photos next to gold bars and stated that “Xaurum is the first Slovenian cryptocurrency, celebrating its 3rd birthday in March (note: indicating it was founded in 2018, which means the photo was from 2021). It is also the first and only cryptocurrency in the world that is backed by physical gold. At the moment, the coins are not backed by thin air but by 129.1 kg of gold, which represents approximately 4 percent of the gold reserves held by the Bank of Slovenia.” She also informed her followers and potential buyers where they could purchase the cryptocurrency and how.
Estatium cryptocurrency scam
It has been revealed that Gaber was involved in another cryptocurrency scam called Estatium in 2018. Journalist and editor Mirko Mayer from Planet TV exposed that the team collected 2.1 million euros and then simply vanished with the money. When approaching people to participate and collect money, they promised a revolution in renting real estate and “crazy returns” for investors.
In the case of Estatium, a promotional video was also recorded, apparently in Monaco, in which Tina Gaber appeared multiple times. Alongside her was Klemen Nicoletti, a participant in numerous similar stories who later became known for the fast test kits affair at Majbert Pharm. The promotional spot for Estatium investors was filmed in English and showcased what they were offering.
Life in Monaco
Gaber allegedly lived in Monaco with the five-years-younger Nicoletti before the COVID crisis. They were reportedly engaged and planning a wedding. While Gaber presented herself to the Slovenian public as a socialite and supposed online influencer, we first heard about the young Nicoletti during the COVID crisis. Majbert Pharm earned around one million euros from the fast test kits, and testing was halted for one day due to the fast tests. Nicoletti and his then business partner Anja Jenko received a loan for the business from her father, Janko Jenko (former supervisor of the Slovenian Steel Industry). Jenko and Gaber were friends and apparently also colleagues. Indeed, one can find several photos online of scantily clad alleged “influencers”.
Both Jenko and Gaber are known on social media as so-called influencers who enjoy flaunting their nudity. Their Instagram profiles are filled with photos of yachts and luxurious travels.
Nicoletti and Jenko are still co-owners of the company Majbert Pharm, Ltd., with Nicoletti holding a 40% stake (he is also the company’s director) and Jenko holding a 60% stake. The company is based in Slovenia. Until last year, they had bank accounts in Slovenian banks. However, there was a change in 2022, and they opened bank accounts in Austria and Lithuania, while closing their accounts in Slovenian banks. The company is engaged in the sale of pharmaceutical products and medical devices, as well as offering business services.
Experts suggest that Gaber left Nicoletti as soon as their cryptocurrency dreams and earnings ran out. In the meantime, she had several wealthy partners, and now she is attached to Robert Golob, who made his fortune through state contracts in a state-owned company involved in the sale of state electricity at prices unmatched by any other trader.
Unimaginable
As various videos, photos, and news about Tina Gaber emerge, a large part of the public wonders how the companion or mistress of the Prime Minister can afford to be involved in various scams. For example, Mirko Mayer wrote, “Can you imagine if it was revealed that the partner of Borut Pahor or the wife of Janez Janša promoted a pyramid scheme that deceived hundreds of people?”
Prominent political analyst Tomaž Štih is convinced that the partner of any other Prime Minister would not be able to afford being part of a “crypto scam”. Even more alarming is the fact that Gaber, who promoted cryptocurrency scams, apparently also influences the shaping of politics in Slovenia.
Influence on Slovenian politics
It is quite apparent that Gaber has a significant influence on many statements and actions of Robert Golob. Recently, Golob has undergone noticeable physical changes. Observers attribute his weight loss to veganism, which is propagated by Tina Gaber. This is where Golob’s ideas of introducing a special vegetarian menu in schools originate (Tina Gaber’s influence). Let’s also recall his statement about meat, which received a wide public response. He said, “Animal husbandry and meat consumption are excessive. Just one or two days without meat…” Furthermore, his highly resonant statement last year claiming that Slovenia has “its own cure for COVID”, which he identified as “sun and sea”, generated laughter on one side and indignation on the other. It is said that Tina Gaber suggested this to him at the time.
“Mother” to animals
Tina Gaber’s role in the preparation of changes to the Animal Protection Act has also garnered attention. She presents herself on social media as a “mother to animals”, it is also known that she has a pet dog. She does not have her own children. Such labels, like being a “mother to animals” while posting a picture of a dog, have sparked outrage. Many argue that it is not only an insult to actual mothers but also to animals.
As a current owner of a small dog, she claims to have a deep understanding of the veterinary profession, and everything related to it. That is why she participated in the preparation of a law that would allow individuals with just a 40-hour course to visit Slovenian farms, enter barns, and examine animals. The proposed law was developed without the involvement of experts, and Minister of Agriculture Irena Šinko publicly stated that the ministry was not involved in its preparation.
What are cryptocurrencies?
The creation and transfer of cryptocurrencies are based on an open-source protocol that is independent of central banks or other regulatory bodies. Therefore, cryptocurrencies are not controlled by any independent authority but rather by those at the top of the pyramid. Owning a cryptocurrency means having control over the addresses under which specific balances are recorded in the system’s main ledger. “Purchasing” cryptocurrency requires cash (money), but the subsequent traces can be lost entirely in the pyramid from top to bottom. This is precisely what happened with the cryptocurrencies promoted by Gaber (and apparently her involvement as well). Much has been written about her role in these controversial dealings, but both Tina Gaber and her lover Robert Golob choose not to respond, thereby tacitly confirming the reports.
Note: This article was originally published in the printed edition of Demokracija.