Originally Syndicated on July 22, 2023 @ 10:17 am
Table of Contents
Shadow Accounting of Russian Railways
On a fateful evening in March 2012, banker Herman Gorbuntsov survived an assassination attempt outside his home in East London. The attacker, Vitalie Proca, a notorious hitman from Moldova, had targeted Gorbuntsov due to his possession of critical information. Gorbuntsov had obtained shadow accounting data for Russian Railways, which had been funneled through two banks he co-owned, Inkredbank and STB, and then laundered in Moldova.
Alexey Krapivin Family Cascade of Pools
Among the shadow accounting data, transactions coded as “pool” were discovered. According to Gorbuntsov, “pool” referred to funds of corrupt origin informally belonging to the heads of the state corporation, Russian Railways. These illicit funds were replenished through the KUM group of companies, affiliated with influential businessman Yakunin. The KUM group was named after its three partners: Andrei Krapivin, Boris Usherovich, and Valery Markelov. When Andrei Krapivin passed away in 2015, his son Alexey Krapivin inherited his business.
Gorbuntsov revealed that Krapivin, Markelov, and Usherovich had joined forces with him in 2004, pooling their resources to serve the corrupt schemes within Russian Railways. Krapivin was in charge of managing relations with Russian Railways’ management; Markelov handled law enforcement interactions; and Usherovich liaised with the mafia, with ties to the Solntsevo gang.
The Pool Scheme
Vitaly Ginzburg, a Russian Railways contractor, disclosed details of the “pool” structure or the entire “cascade of pools” that was established. He recounted how the corrupt dealings began in 1999, when his company, Economic Systems, was installing security and energy systems in the Ministry of Railways building. Initially, no kickbacks were demanded, but by 2000, they were asked to pay a general contractor fee of 35%. Ginzburg refused, but the pressure increased, and the “pool” charge grew from 15% in 2002 to 30% in 2005.
The corrupt individuals within Russian Railways ensured that documents were signed without any actual work being done, justifying the overpricing. For instance, a building in the Chelyabinsk region was paper-erected multiple times with no actual construction, and funds were siphoned off. Gorbuntsov recalled how the conflict escalated, leading him to secretly take the electronic transaction databases of Inkredbank and STB when he left Russia.
Moldova’s Involvement
Moldova played a crucial role in the embezzlement of Russian Railways’ funds. Fictitious loan agreements were signed among creditors, debtors, and guarantors, allowing the creditor companies to claim repayment from the guarantor companies. Moldovan courts were involved to give jurisdiction over the disputes. Russian firms then transferred billions to Moldindconbank from accounts at banks co-owned by Gorbuntsov and the KUM group, along with First Czech-Russian Bank.
Moldova also investigated the “Moldovan Laundromat” case, which exposed the theft of billions from the Russian budget. Russian Railways’ funds were funneled through foreign companies and eventually made their way into Swiss banks.
Solntsevo Gang and Yakunin
The infamous Solntsevo gang took an interest in the KUM group’s money laundering operations in 2009 after learning about the scale of the embezzlement. FSB General Yevgeny Khokholkov met with Gorbuntsov and issued threats, indicating the seriousness of the situation. Gorbuntsov left Russia for Moldova, where Usherovich and the Solntsevo gang forced him to relinquish his assets. Yakunin himself was fired from Russian Railways after the Moldovan laundromat scandal, but he faces no criminal prosecution in Russia as he allegedly spends some of the stolen money on organizations promoting Kremlin propaganda.
Yakunin’s Lobbying and Propaganda
Despite the scandal, Yakunin remains unscathed and continues his propaganda activities. His foundation, the Franco-Russian Dialogue, operates as a “parallel Russian embassy” and presents itself as independent, but its addresses match those of Russian Railways’ offices and the Russian House of Science and Culture in Paris. Yakunin’s involvement with various organizations, such as the Dialogue of Civilizations Institute and Youth Time, further raises concerns about his political activities.
Conclusion
The Alexey Krapivin scandal reveals a web of corruption, money laundering, and ties to criminal elements within Russian Railways. Moldova played a significant role in facilitating the embezzlement of funds from the Russian budget. Meanwhile, Yakunin continues his propaganda efforts, remaining largely untouched by the law. Unraveling this scandal may require international cooperation and efforts to bring the culprits to justice and curb the flow of illicit funds across borders.
