Article: Deutsche Bank’s $10-Billion Scandal

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Deutsche Bank’s $10-Billion Scandal

Ed Caesar, 22 August 2016

Almost every weekday between the fall of 2011 and early 2015, a Russian broker named Igor Volkov called the equities desk of Deutsche Bank’s Moscow headquarters. Volkov would speak to a sales trader—often, a young woman named Dina Maksutova—and ask her to place two trades simultaneously. In one, he would use Russian rubles to buy a blue-chip Russian stock, such as Lukoil, for a Russian company that he represented. Usually, the order was for about ten million dollars’ worth of the stock. In the second trade, Volkov—acting on behalf of a different company, which typically was registered in an offshore territory, such as the British Virgin Islands—would sell the same Russian stock, in the same quantity, in London, in exchange for dollars, pounds, or euros. Both the Russian company and the offshore company had the same owner. Deutsche Bank was helping the client to buy and sell to himself. Continue reading “Article: Deutsche Bank’s $10-Billion Scandal”

Article: Russian Police Bust Alleged Bank Malware Gang

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Russian Police Bust Alleged Bank Malware Gang

Mathew J. Schwartz, 02 June 2016

Russian authorities have arrested about 50 people in connection with an ongoing investigation into a hacker group that’s suspected of unleashing malware-enabled hack attacks against customers of major Russian financial institutions. Continue reading “Article: Russian Police Bust Alleged Bank Malware Gang”

Article: UK Subsidiary of Russian State Bank VTB Reported to Serious Fraud Office Over Vivacom Sale

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UK Subsidiary of Russian State Bank VTB Reported to Serious Fraud Office Over Vivacom Sale

GLOBE NEWSWIRE, 09 February 2016

Empreno Ventures, the owner of the largest Bulgarian telecommunications company Vivacom has reported VTB Capital, the UK arm of the state owned Russian bank, to the Serious Fraud Office for the alleged illegal seizure and sale of the company to a connected party.

The criminal complaint was filed with the Serious Fraud Office last week by lawyers representing InterV and its owner Dmitry Kosarev, who is the principle shareholder in Vivacom.

In a separate legal action Mr Kosarev is suing VTB Capital in London for damages in excess of 143m euros for allegedly selling Vivacom for a price that significantly under represented the true value of the company. Continue reading “Article: UK Subsidiary of Russian State Bank VTB Reported to Serious Fraud Office Over Vivacom Sale”

Article: Russian activist Alexei Navalny faces 10 years for “fraud”

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Russian activist Alexei Navalny faces 10 years for “fraud”

Deutsche Welle, 19 December 2014

A Russian activist is facing a total of 10 years in prison on fraud charges. Prosecutors asked a Moscow court to convict Alexei Navalny who had already been handed a suspended sentence on embezzlement charges. Wrapping up their closing arguments in a Moscow courthouse on Friday, prosecutors called on the presiding judge to convict Alexei Navalny, and his brother, Oleg, (photo) for fraud.

“The guilt of the defendant has been fully proven,” prosecutor Nadezhda Ignatova told the court.

She called on the judge to sentence Alexei Navalny to 10 years in prison for stealing 30 million rubles (414,000 euros, $500,000) from an affiliate of French cosmetics company Yves Rocher and another firm between 2008 and 2012. Continue reading “Article: Russian activist Alexei Navalny faces 10 years for “fraud””

Article: Hogan Lovells Delivers Victory in $150 Million Fraud Case for Leading Russian Financial Group Otkritie

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Hogan Lovells Delivers Victory in $150 Million Fraud Case for Leading Russian Financial Group Otkritie

Legal Monitor, 12 February 2014

London’s High Court has delivered its judgment today on a multi-million dollar fraud against Otkritie, one of the largest financial services providers in Russia. Otkritie was defrauded by a group of former employees and their associates. Today’s judgment paves the way for the recovery of millions in already frozen assets and awards significant damages to Otkritie. Hogan Lovells has advised Otkritie throughout the dispute. Continue reading “Article: Hogan Lovells Delivers Victory in $150 Million Fraud Case for Leading Russian Financial Group Otkritie”

Article: 49 Russian Diplomats and Spouses Charged with Medicaid Fraud, But Diplomatic Immunity Bars Their Arrest

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49 Russian Diplomats and Spouses Charged with Medicaid Fraud, But Diplomatic Immunity Bars Their Arrest

Steven A. Meyerowitz, 06 Decembet 2013

A total of 49 current or former Russian diplomats and their spouses have been charged by U.S. prosecutors with participating in a widespread health care fraud scheme from 2004 to August 2013 to illegally obtain nearly half a million dollars in Medicaid benefits. Not one of the people charged was arrested, because of diplomatic immunity.

Each of the defendants is a current or former Russian diplomat or the spouse of a diplomat employed at either the Russian Mission to the United Nations, the Russian Federation Consulate General in New York, or the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in the USA, New York Office. Continue reading “Article: 49 Russian Diplomats and Spouses Charged with Medicaid Fraud, But Diplomatic Immunity Bars Their Arrest”

Article: Major Investor in Russia Sees Wide Fraud Scheme

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Major Investor in Russia Sees Wide Fraud Scheme

Andrew E. Kramer, 31 July 2009

William F. Browder, once the largest foreign investor in the Russian stock market, filed court documents in New York this week contending that other Western investors in Russia had colluded with the authorities to steal hundreds of millions of dollars through tax refunds and then laundered the money through New York banks. Continue reading “Article: Major Investor in Russia Sees Wide Fraud Scheme”

Article: Money laundering in Russia: legislative highlights

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Money laundering in Russia: legislative highlights

CMS Legal, 17 April 2002

Money laundering as it is understood in most countries within the European Union, and in particular, in the United Kingdom, is a relatively new concept for Russian economic regulation. While the laundering of proceeds from crime undoubtedly went on during the Soviet and Perestroika eras, its prevention has only recently become part of the official policy of the Russian Government. Continue reading “Article: Money laundering in Russia: legislative highlights”

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