Last week, an anti-oligarchic operation of unprecedented scale began in Russia. The Prosecutor General's Office, the Accounts Chamber, the tax police and the Ministry of Taxation wrote threatening letters, launched inspections, opened criminal cases and seized documents in the offices of the largest Russian companies. The business community was frightened and began to painfully think: now it will be like this with everyone or only with the oligarchs, and why is all this being done at all? But really: why?
Get in line, you sons of bitches
Only a week has passed, and in Russia there are almost no oligarchs left who have not experienced the power of the state's repressive apparatus.
On Monday, July 10, the head of the Interros holding, Vladimir Potanin, received a letter from Deputy Prosecutor General Yuri Biryukov, stating that in 1995 ONEXIMbank underpaid $140 million for a 38% stake in Norilsk Nickel. This damage is proposed to be "immediately compensated," and then, Biryukov promised, Potanin "will not be further sued." It is noteworthy that this happened just a week after the meeting between Potanin and Putin, at which, as many believed, the head of Interros managed to settle many contentious issues.
On the same day, employees of the Prosecutor General's Office seized documents in the offices of Media-Most and Gazprom. No one doubts that these events are closely related. Vladimir Putin has already stated that he is concerned about the large debt of the media holding to Gazprom ($487 million).
On Tuesday, July 11, it was Vagit Alekperov's turn - the Federal Tax Police Service (FSNP) announced the initiation of a criminal case against the leaders of the Lukoil company. According to the FSNP, they withdrew at least $500 million from taxation through "fictitious export deliveries of petroleum products." Criminal cases have been initiated against Alekperov and Lukoil's chief accountant Lyubov Khoba.
On July 12, a criminal case on the fact of tax evasion on an especially large scale was initiated against the leaders of AvtoVAZ. According to investigators, with the knowledge of AvtoVAZ managers, 280,000 cars were produced with the same VIN (individual identification number), and the money from their sale was not included in the taxable base. Togliatti denies all accusations, but admits that as a result, management at the plant may change. Of course, Vladimir Kadannikov was never considered an oligarch, but it is generally accepted that AvtoVAZ is in the sphere of interests of another well-known businessman, State Duma deputy Boris Berezovsky.
Finally, on Thursday, July 13, it became known that the Accounts Chamber sent a letter to the Prosecutor General's Office outlining its doubts about the correctness of the privatization of RAO "UES of Russia". According to the auditors, in 1992, 15% of RAO's shares were illegally bought by foreign investors. Anatoly Chubais headed the energy monopoly only two years ago and had no formal relation to the sale of shares. But if this story continues, Chubais may lose the support of some of the foreign shareholders of RAO UES, which will actually mean his resignation.
Recall that shortly before the events described, Vladimir Gusinsky spent several days in the Butyrsky pre-trial detention center on charges of embezzlement of state property on an especially large scale, and in Nizhnevartovsk, seizures of documents were made in the office of the Tyumen Oil Company, controlled by Alfa Group. Next in line, as they say, are Yukos, Surgutneftegaz and Sibneft. Then you can continue on your own.
Does he have a plan?
However, the question of which of the oligarchs is next is of no fundamental importance. Something else is much more important. Today, the new government is being tested for efficiency, which is measured not by the number of criminal cases, but by quite specific indicators of tax collection, population incomes, and foreign investment volumes. To achieve the growth of these indicators, and consequently, the prosperity of the economy, it is possible only with a clear action plan, and not just a schedule for the seizure of documents. Consider what is called options.
Suppose Putin decided to show that the carefree Yeltsin times are over and there will be no amnesty. But then why, when speaking about violations during privatization, only the names of oligarchs are mentioned. It is unlikely that anyone will argue that state property was bought at low prices. But what about businessmen? It would be more logical to start with those who sold this property at low prices. And then Deputy Prosecutor General Biryukov would have to write letters to members of the government of the 1995 model, Viktor Chernomyrdin and Boris Yeltsin, who were supposed to be aware of how the country's largest enterprises were transferred into private hands. But Yeltsin has already received absolution from Putin, which means that it will not be possible to punish everyone. In addition, this will in no way improve Russia's economic performance.
Move on. According to sociological polls, the actions of the authorities meet with understanding in society. It is likely that this is much more important for Putin than the support of a few dozen big businessmen. But in this case it is necessary to go all the way and either nationalize the property or change the owners. However, both are dead ends. The state showed long ago that it cannot effectively manage property. This, by the way, is recognized by Putin himself. "Our strategic line is this: less administration, more entrepreneurial freedom, freedom to produce, trade, invest," he said in a message to the Federal Assembly.
Not the best way out and change of owners - at least, the support of the society will be lost immediately, which will be deeply disappointed. It turns out that the state played on the side of one of the oligarchic groups and, instead of restoring justice and order, engaged in a banal redistribution. Besides, there are no guarantees that the new owners will be better able to manage Lukoil, Norilsk Nickel, Yukos or Surgutneftegaz.
The last option remains: they decided to put the oligarchs in their place. Large financial-industrial groups have always taken part in the formation of the government, if necessary, they used their extensive connections in ministries, and they had to be begged to pay taxes during exhausting negotiations. Perhaps Putin decided to end this vicious practice and simply chose the most accessible way for him to understand.
This scenario, apart from the form of its implementation, more than others corresponds to the tasks of building an effective state. If this is Putin's plan, then as a result of the anti-oligarchic operation, we should get a law-abiding business community that regularly pays taxes and does not interfere with the state authorities from fulfilling their duties.
But that's in theory. In practice, Putin should have another plan: how to make the work of the state apparatus itself efficient and not let the power structures feel permissiveness. Otherwise, there will be no free media or entrepreneurs in Russia, but a police state and a total deficit.
However, nothing has been heard about such a plan, except for general words in the message to the Federal Assembly. But it is well known that after the initiation of each new criminal case, the largest Russian companies become cheaper by hundreds of millions of dollars. And this is so far the only real economic indicator of the activity of the new government.
IGOR TROSNIKOV
Hello comrades. All right, sit down. - Putin sat down at the table, and everyone present sat down at him.
- As you all know, the sanctions "list of Putin's friends" has just been published. I would like to note with deep satisfaction that the entire composition of our government is included in it. The high assessment of your activities by Washington testifies to the greater work done by the members of the Cabinet of Ministers and the correctness of the direction they have chosen.
(The Prime Minister breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.)
- Congratulations to everyone, I express my sincere gratitude, keep it up, do not slow down and equal the best.
Everyone involuntarily looked at the legendary Antonov, whose chest was decorated with insignia "For inclusion in the EU sanctions list" and "For inclusion in the Canadian sanctions list."
I was especially pleased with the list of so-called. "oligarchs". I was pleased to see familiar names in it: yours, Elena Sergeevna (Ms. Batova blushed in embarrassment), yours, Roman Alekseevich (Mr. Arkadyevich (Mr. Vetrov straightened his fingers crossed under the table).
Putin continued:
- Having received this list, Sergey Viktorovich and I first decided to respond to this obviously unfriendly step ...
At these words, Shoigu, who was dozing at the end of the table, joyfully started up, quickly pulled out a mobile phone from his pocket, his finger hovered over the red button.
- ... but then they decided that it was premature.
Shoigu sadly hid the phone in his pocket.
- Do not worry, Sergei Kuzhugetovich, your hour will come, and very soon.
(Hearing this, businessman Burenin, in whose soul a globalist and a patriot fought until the last moment, immediately mentally chose his homeland and, hiding his hands under the table, sent an SMS to his wife instructing him to urgently sell all American real estate.)
- Entrepreneurs are free.
The oligarchs got up relieved and hurriedly went to the exit from the office.
- And you, Mr. Krutikov, I will ask you to stay.
**********************************
Anatoly Romanovich, - Putin looked at Krutikov point-blank, - but you are not on the list. Don't explain why?
- Vladimir Vladimirovich ... I don't know ... - Krutikov pressed his hands to his chest, - this is some kind of mistake ... I'm on the secret list! - he found, - by God!
- Alexander Vasilyevich, - Putin turned to the head of the FSB.
Bortnikov took a pistol out of its holster, pushed the cartridge into the chamber and looked inquiringly at the president.
- Contact the technical department, have our guys dig into the State Department's closed database, find this secret list and check if Krutikov is on the secret list or not, and report back tomorrow.
- Yes, - Bortnikov sighed sadly and hid the pistol back in its holster.
- You are free, - Putin said to Krutikov and clarified, - you are free until tomorrow.
**************************************
Arriving home, Krutikov fell into a chair and clutched his head with his hands. His wife entered the room and looked at him questioningly.
- Today the Americans published the sanctions list. I am not in it.
- Ungrateful bastards! - the wife exploded, - and this is after everything that you have done for them!
“What to do, what to do,” Krutikov repeated, rushing around the room, “I’m finished.
- Urgently write to Trump! Demand to be put on the list immediately. And don't delay! You only have a day left.
Krutikov rushed to the computer and began to type in the text:
Donnie! Buddy! Sanctions list released today. I am not in it. Can you explain what the hell? Maybe I'm on the secret list?
Your friend Tolyan
The answer came immediately:
My friend Tolik! I personally instructed to strike you off all lists as a true friend of America. So don't worry, you're nowhere.
Your friend Donny
“He stabbed him without a knife, you bastard,” Krutikov thought in despair, “The benefactor of hell. Zadornov correctly said that they are stupid.
*************************************
The director of the FSB reported in a flat voice:
- During the operation "Oligarch" the entire Western residency was exposed, both active agents and objects marked by Western intelligence services for future recruitment. All oligarchs not included in the sanctions list are taken under surveillance. Three tried to leave the country on false documents, all three were detained, they are already giving confessions, expressing sincere repentance and are ready to use their knowledge and capital for the good of the Motherland.
- Well, - Putin nodded his head, - continue.
As we know, over the past four days, 51 businessmen from the sanctions list have received such a letter - Bortnikov put a piece of paper on the table.
Rus businessman, give up! You are surrounded by sanctions. Your position is hopeless. The commissars are lying to you: the Russian economy is torn to shreds, yesterday the last hedgehog was caught and eaten in the Vologda Oblast. Stop the senseless resistance! Go over to the side of the USA and you will be treated well: you will get the right to conduct your business in an American country and according to American laws, and as soon as the Putin regime falls - in Russia too!
This leaflet is a pass and is valid for any number of Russian businessmen.”
Well, how did businessmen react to these "passes"?
- 28 personally came to the authorities, reported that they had received a “pass” and declared their loyalty to the state, 14 threw it into the trash can, 8 flushed it down the toilet. Entrepreneur Redkin, during a visit to him, locked himself in the toilet, ate the “pass”, and told the employees that he had not received any leaflet and was hearing about it for the first time.
I regard the overall results of the operation as satisfactory.
Well, well, I agree, - Putin said, - well done, general, they did a good job.
- Then Vladimir Vladimirovich, - Bastrykin put a piece of paper on the president's desk, - the director of the foreign intelligence service is applying for an award for the agent "Red".
- Fair enough, - Putin took a pen and signed the performance in a sweeping manner, - indeed, if not for his sanctions list ...
Klim Podkova specially for the site
Carlota Gindal | La Vanguardia
Operation "Oligarch": "Mafia acted in Russia with people very close to Vladimir Putin"
"One of the main defendants, suspected of belonging to a criminal organization of Russian origin that was engaged in money laundering in Spain and sent to jail after Operation Oligarch last September, pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin as having relations with persons connected with the mafia in his country," says La Vanguardia journalist Carlota Gindal. “This follows from his interrogation in the Marbella Court of First Instance No. 1,” the author writes, explaining that the publication had access to these materials and that it was about Sergei Dozhdev and the investigation into the activities of the Solntsevskaya organized crime group in Spain.
"During the interrogation on September 28 last year, Dozhdev wanted to give details, using his right to the last word, about the "raiding" committed against a Russian company, as well as how powerful people appropriated this company with the connivance of a Russian bank" , - the journalist writes.
"In Russia, the real mafia is those who rule the world," Dozhdev said. Gindal claims: “In this way, he hinted at Igor Sechin, the head of the Russian oil company Rosneft and a person close to Putin, according to various sources, as the person who took over the Russian holding Sistema (whose interests stretch from oil to telecommunications) through oil company Vasniev (so in the original, most likely, distorted "Bashneft". - Note. ed.) and MTS (engaged in telephones). From what he said, the alleged takeover of the company is through offshore firms." The publication quotes: "They did it in such a way that when they transfer debts to offshore companies, the firms are acquired almost for that."
The defendant explained to the judge: "The Bank of Russia issues a loan to the company. At a certain point, it stops financing it, and then the company cannot repay the debts. These are rare situations. The mafia that acted is with people very close to Vladimir Putin."
"After this statement, a representative of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office asked if Sberbank was doing this. "It is done through Sberbank because it is controlled by Gref," Dozhdev said. And he knows this because they studied together in Kazakhstan, "the newspaper writes. "Gref's son controls the situation in Russia," he stressed.
"Sergey Dozhdev is one of the 'right hands' of the alleged head of the organization whose activities are being investigated in Spain, Oleg Kuznetsov," the journalist writes, referring to the Civil Guard's report submitted to the Spanish court.
"Oligarch", during which 11 immigrants from Russia were detained in the province of Malaga on suspicion of laundering more than 30 million euros. Many of them are directly connected with the Russian organized crime groups (OCG) "Solntsevskaya" and "Izmailovskaya".As reported on the official website of the Spanish Civil Guard, the special operation was developed over four years by local law enforcement officers together with Europol employees. Investigative actions were authorized by the N1 Court of Marbella and the Special Prosecutor for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption.
According to investigators, members of the Solntsevskaya and Izmailovskaya organized crime groups "are competitors in Russia, but partners in Spain." The attackers have developed a criminal money laundering scheme through three businesses in Spain - the Marbella football club, which plays in the third Spanish division, the bottled water manufacturer Aguas Sierra de Mijas and the Dama de Noche golf club.
During the special operation, 11 immigrants from Russia were detained, including the owner of FC Marbella Alexander Grinberg, the vice president of the football club German Pastushenko, the owner of Aguas Sierra de Mijas Oleg Kuznetsov, two company executives Sergey Dozhdev and Vladimir Dzreev and Arnold Spivakovsky (Arnold Tamm) .
The law enforcement agencies of Spain specified that Spivakovsky was the leader of a criminal gang for money laundering. Investigators also named him one of the leaders of the Solntsevskaya organized crime group and a close associate of the group's leader Semyon Mogilevich, who "is one of the most famous criminals in the world."
During numerous searches in Malaga, large sums of money, computers, mobile phones, documents, several types of firearms and 23 luxury cars were seized.
Sources in the FSB and the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation said that the special operation in Marbella was a continuation of Operation Osa, which the Spanish police carried out in 2005. "We are talking about the investigation of the activities of Gennady Petrov's group (according to the Spanish prosecutor's office, the leader of the Tambov organized criminal group), whose members created a network of front companies in the country, to which real estate was registered. They resold real estate, each time raising the price, in order to launder illegally funds purchased outside of Spain," a source in the FSB told RBC reporters.
The Russian Embassy in Spain, in turn, has already stated that the diplomats are in contact with local law enforcement agencies regarding the detention of 11 people in the province of Malaga.
"It is worth noting that among the names appearing on the list of detainees, two coincide with the data of persons who are registered with the consular department of the embassy," the Russian diplomatic mission told reporters (quoted by TASS).
The Russian Embassy in Spain "immediately sent official requests to the national police and the civil guard of Spain with a request to provide details of what happened, the last names, first names and patronymics of the detainees, as well as their civil affiliation."
"Currently, the Spanish side is preparing responses to requests. There have been no requests for consular assistance from the detainees or their relatives. We are in constant contact with the Spanish law enforcement agencies, we continue to monitor the situation," the embassy concluded.
At the end of September 2017, 11 people were detained in Spain as a result of Operation Oligarch.
The operation, according to the Spanish Civil Guard, was directed against members of the Solntsevo and Izmaylovo criminal gangs, which "are competitors in Russia, but partners in Spain." According to law enforcement agencies, members of the organized criminal group used the Marbella football club, the bottled water manufacturer Aguas Sierra de Mijas (Aqua de Mijas) and the Dama de Noche golf club to launder about €30 million.
On September 29, seven Russians were released from custody, but the charges against them were not dropped. Who was detained in the next case of the "Russian mafia" - in the review of RBC.
Alexander Grinberg
Russian businessman, owner of the Marbella football club. According to him, he came to Marbella in 2011, having left a business in Russia "related to the rental of real estate." In 2013, Greenberg bought FC Marbella, which is in crisis, for €1. Alexander Mostovoy, a former football player of the Russian national team, became an adviser to the president of the club.
In Russia, Alexander Grinberg is a co-owner of real estate companies. Among his business partners are Andrey Malevsky, the brother of Anton Malevsky, the leader of the Izmaylovo organized criminal group, who died in 2001 after an unsuccessful parachute jump, the football player of the Russian national team and Moscow Spartak Alexander Samedov and football agent Oleg Artemov.
In Moscow, Alexander Grinberg and his daughter Ksenia are the founders of several companies specializing in leasing commercial space. Basically, warehouses located in industrial zones are offered for rent, for example, buildings on the territory of motor depot No. 40 on Ketcherskaya Street (Auto-40 OJSC); a two-story non-residential building in the village of Kommunarka near the Nikolo-Khovansky cemetery is also used as a warehouse (the owner is Oblsklad LLC). In 2007, the Glavgosstroynadzor of the Moscow Region recognized the building as unauthorized construction, but did not demolish it, obliging the owner to pay a fine and formalize the commissioning of the building properly. In the early 2000s, another company, co-owned by Alexander Grinberg, LLC Likurstroy, rented the building of the Kommuna Palace of Culture on Bolshaya Tulskaya. Discos were held in the building, now it is in disrepair.
In all these companies, the same ownership structure was involved - the companies were owned in equal shares by Alexander Grinberg, Pavel Aleshin, Mikhail Akodis. In some companies, their partners were Alexander Rozenberg and Andrey Malevsky.
Arnold Tamm (aka Arnold Spivakovsky)
50 years. Former CEO of the Kosmos hotel complex, former chairman of the board of directors of the Intourist hotel association. Spivakovsky was a public relations adviser to the Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, Pavel Borodin. In March 2002, he was charged with drug possession. Spivakovsky was sentenced on probation, but later acquitted.
Already after the detention of Spivakovsky in Spain, it became known that he was an active employee of the company controlled by AFK Sistema, the Sokolsky DOK.
Oleg Kuznetsov
Nothing is known about Kuznetsov, except that he owns the drinking water company Agua de Mijas ("Aqua de Mijas"). According to the Spanish police, the company was used for money laundering. Spanish media call Kuznetsov one of Greenberg's assistants.
Sergey Dozhdev
Entrepreneur from Volgograd. According to regional media reports, he was close to Vladimir Kadin, vice president of the Boxing Federation in the Volgograd region, who was killed in 2011. In Volgograd, Dozhdev was the general director of AL.LIT.PRO LLC. The company rented out its own real estate.
After the murder of Kadin, Dozhdev left for Spain, is one of the leaders of the Agua Sierra de Mijas company, which belongs to Kuznetsov. Together with him, the head of the company is Vladimir Dzreev, who was detained during the operation "Oligarch", it was not possible to find any information about him in open sources.
Herman Pastushenko
Vice President of FC Marbella. He was released from custody on September 29, but remains a suspect in the case.
Pastushenko came to Spain from the Krasnodar Territory in 1995 and received a residence permit in 2001. In Spain, he bought unfinished houses and, having completed them, sold them, and also opened his own real estate agency based on franchising. In 2005, he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and drug smuggling as a result of Operation White Whale. Six months later, the charges were dropped.
The case of the "Russian mafia"
According to investigators, the detainees laundered money through the Marbella football club, the bottled water manufacturer Aguas Sierra de Mijas and the Dama de Noche golf club. The total amount of funds legalized in this way amounted to €30 million.
During the operation, 23 luxury cars, large sums of money, firearms and computers were seized from the detainees.
The case of the “Russian mafia” has been going on in Spain for many years. As part of the case, the Spanish authorities carried out at least three major operations: Osa (2005-2007), Troika (2008-2009) and Oligarch.
The first high-profile arrests in the framework of the case were made in 2008, and in 2015 the Spanish prosecutor's office filed charges against citizens of Russia and Spain. The indictment in the case, published in the Open Russia translation, states that since 1996, a mafia structure has operated in Spain, which was an alliance of Tambov and Malyshev criminal groups, which included immigrants from Russia, mainly from Moscow and St. Petersburg . Members of the criminal community from residences in the Balearic Islands, the Spanish Levant and the Costa del Sol allegedly exercised control over the activities of criminal groups in Russia.
The activities of the organized criminal group, according to the prosecution, included murders, arms and drug trafficking, extortion, fraud, smuggling, etc. The economic profits of the criminal community were sent to Spain, where illegally obtained funds were to be legitimized and integrated into the financial system through loans, increase in statutory capital, transfers to offshore zones and investments in other countries.
The trial of the 27 defendants was due to begin in June 2017 but has since been postponed. One of the accused is businessman Gennady Petrov, whom Spanish investigators call the leader of the Tambov organized crime group. In 2010, the Spanish authorities released him on bail, and in 2012 he left for Russia and lives in St. Petersburg. Other well-known defendants in the case include State Duma deputy Vladislav Reznik, former deputy heads of the Federal Drug Control Service and the Investigative Committee, and businessman Ilya Traber.
