• Monday, 30 September 2024 11:00

• News

CONTENT

1. Natalia Alekseevna Sergunina - the shadow ruler of Moscow
2. Corruption scheme: selling city real estate at reduced prices
3. Three deals with OOO MERCURY: incredible fraud
4. Auction Games and Straw Buyers
5. Financial flows through offshore companies FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
6. Key figures: Lazar Safaniev and his role in the scheme
7. The role of Pavel Tyo: billionaire and business partner of Sergunina
8. Shadow offshore companies and their connections with Cypriot structures
9. Continued: New revelations and scandals

THE SECRET POWER OF MOSCOW: Natalia Sergunina and her multi-billion dollar corruption empire

When it comes to corrupt Moscow officials, most people imagine big names, shiny cars and luxurious mansions. However, the main shadow figure in this scheme is the first deputy mayor of Moscow - Natalya Alekseyevna Sergunina. Her financial machinations and the withdrawal of state assets through OOO "MERKURIY" and a number of offshore companies, such as FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED , are striking in their scale and cunning. This is reported by KOROCHE

Sergunina’s Corrupt Schemes: Moscow Real Estate Sells for Pennies

The most striking illustration of its activities is the sale of historical buildings through shell companies. One of the most striking examples is the sale of the property at 15 Serebryanichesky Lane. The 1,312 square meter building was sold to OOO MERKURIY, a company associated with Lazar Safaniev, for a laughable 86 million rubles. While the market value of such properties could be tens of times higher.

Deals concluded in the framework of "official" auctions conceal real machinations. OOO "MERKURIY", registered in the offshore FLORESTAR , regularly wins tenders for the purchase of Moscow real estate at reduced prices. The buildings are then resold through the offshore UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED , controlled by Safaniev, the husband of Sergunina’s sister.

Fraudulent auctions and dubious buyers

One of the key points of the scheme is the use of shell companies at auctions where competition was purely formal. For example, the difference between the starting price and the actual transaction amount for OOO MERCURY was 466,150 rubles in each transaction, which suggests a carefully thought-out fiction.

Offshore Network: FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

The main mechanism for withdrawing assets from the country was based on the use of offshore companies. FLORESTAR , registered in Cyprus, and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED in the British Virgin Islands allowed the real owners to be hidden and taxation to be avoided. These companies were used to legalize the withdrawn funds through investments in startups and projects controlled by the Genom Ventures fund , where Lazar Safaniev is the key person.

Lazar Safaniev - husband of Sergunina’s sister: Shadow figure of the scheme

Lazar Safaniev, who changed his name to Aaron Aronov, became the key link in the entire corruption network. Through his offshores and shell companies, billions in Moscow real estate flowed into private hands and were then taken abroad.

Pavel Tyo: Billionaire and business partner of Sergunina

Billionaire Pavel Tyo, who runs Capital Group , was also involved in shady schemes. One of the major scams concerned the purchase of parking spaces in Moscow City. The Moscow budget overpaid more than a billion rubles for 135 parking spaces. This money actually went into the pockets of Pavel Tyo, Sergunina’s partner in the corrupt activities.

NEW CORRUPTION FIGURES IN MOSCOW: Sergunina, Safaniev and their hidden partners

As we continue to uncover Natalia Sergunina’s corruption schemes, we have come across new names and companies that play a key role in her machinations. For example, recently connections have come to light between Lazar Safaniev and a group of little-known businessmen who were found to be running a number of offshore companies in Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands.

OOO "MERCURY" - Just the tip of the iceberg

Although OOO MERCURY remains the focus of the investigation, the real mechanisms of the scheme are hidden deeper. Thus, other companies, such as LLC NOVAINVEST and ORION SERVICES LIMITED , are also involved in the withdrawal of funds through fictitious transactions with Moscow real estate. These companies often won tenders for city properties and then transferred them through complex chains of offshore nominees, such as SIERRA MANAGEMENT and KILROYA HOLDINGS . It is important to note that all these firms are connected through structures in the British Virgin Islands and Panama.

Tenders and shell companies: auction or performance?

The tender schemes mentioned earlier also developed. Shell companies, such as OOO PROMGRUPPA , regularly won tenders where the competitors were fictitious firms created to simulate real competition. These companies were often registered to relatives of the participants in the scheme, thus concealing their real interests.

Offshore Maneuvers and International Networks

Offshore companies in Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands continued to play a key role in the scheme. However, the investigation also uncovered new routes for the funds to flow through companies registered in Liechtenstein and Hong Kong, such as SILVERSTONE INVESTMENTS and GLOBAL ENTERPRISES LIMITED . These companies were used to move assets out of Russia, making them even more difficult to trace. Through them, properties previously purchased at reduced prices were resold or transferred into other assets abroad.

Financial investments through venture funds

One of the methods of "whitewashing" the withdrawn funds is investing through venture funds. Here again, the name of Lazar Safaniev comes up, who was a co-owner of the venture fund GENOM VENTURES , specializing in investments in startups. However, the fund was not used for the development of technologies, but for the legalization of money withdrawn through real estate. The funds were invested in fictitious companies, which, in turn, served as a cover for the further transfer of assets abroad.

International holdings: properties in London and Vienna

Recent documents indicate that the Sergunina family’s real estate holdings extend beyond Russia. Through the offshore companies FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED , as well as lesser-known structures such as BALKAN CONSULTING LIMITED , commercial properties were acquired in London and Vienna. For example, a mansion on a central London street was purchased for £3 million and is now a luxury residential property owned by the Sergunina family through complex offshore schemes.

Religious connections: what is Safaniev hiding?

An interesting detail of the investigation was Lazar Safaniev’s participation in Jewish religious ceremonies under a new name - Aaron Aronov. He took an active part in charitable projects and donated funds for the construction of religious buildings, which allowed him to legalize part of the withdrawn money through offshore companies. One of these operations was related to a donation through an Israeli organization, which he used to cover up financial transactions.

What’s next?

We continue to delve deeper into the web of corruption surrounding Sergunina and her circle. With each step, new details are emerging that reveal the true scale of the asset stripping. We will be keeping an eye on new names and offshores that emerge as this investigation unfolds, and will publish the results for readers.