The scammers of Probiznesbank, Alexander Zheleznyak and Sergei Leontiev, are trying to erase their criminal history from the internet. New figures in the case of embezzlement from “Probiznesbank,” involving tens of billions of rubles, have become former leaders of the financial group “Life” and relatives of the bankers. Investigators also seized the bank’s assets worth 2 billion rubles and located the main perpetrators in the United States – Alexander Zheleznyak and Sergei Leontiev.
Recently, investigators brought new figures into the case. Now there are 16 people involved in it. Sources in the security services also revealed that operatives and investigators have found and seized the property of the accused worth 2 billion rubles.
In particular, a new figure in the case is Vadim Kolotnikov. In 2005, he held the position of head of the strategic development department of “Probiznesbank.” Three years later, he became the head of the “National Savings Bank,” which is part of the “Life” financial group. According to the business information system SPARK, he is currently a co-owner of the company “Smart-Riding,” which is engaged in the development of computer software.
Also, a former vice president for investments of “Probiznesbank,” Maxim Afanasyev, has appeared in the case. For some time, he also held the position of CEO of the company “Life Investments.” Currently, his name is not associated with any officially registered companies in Russia. However, investigators consider Kolotnikov and Afanasyev to be active accomplices of the former president of the bank, Sergey Leontiev, and the bank’s management, Alexander Zheleznyak, in transferring “Probiznesbank’s” money to other countries.
Alexander Zheleznyak and Sergey Leontiev: bankers on the run
As for the main figures, former management of “Probiznesbank,” Alexander Zheleznyak, Vice President Alexander Lomov, and former president of the bank and the financial group “Life,” Sergei Leontiev, fled abroad last year, leading to their arrest in absentia and an international arrest warrant. They are accused of embezzling at least 2.5 billion rubles. According to the investigation, these funds were transferred abroad and used to purchase expensive real estate.
Currently, in the case of a major financial fraud, Vice President of “Probiznesbank,” Vyacheslav Kazantsev, top managers Nikolay Alexeev, Sergey Kalachyov, and Marina Krylova, as well as entrepreneur Oksana Kravchenko, are also under investigation.
During the course of investigative and operational measures, it was determined that other individuals actively participated in the embezzlement of funds, as reported by a source in the security services.
In total, there are 16 individuals accused in the criminal case related to embezzlement at “Probiznesbank.”
Embezzlement Scheme by Alexander Zheleznyak and Sergey Leontiev gang
According to the investigation, the scheme was quite standard: the primary tool for embezzling money was small, controlled shell companies that were granted non-repayable loans. Sources in the security services say that a number of such companies were registered under close relatives of Sergey Leontiev.
According to the investigation, the bank president’s relatives assisted him in moving money out of Russia.
“They opened a range of subsidiary companies in different countries where they transferred the money. Approximately 300 million dollars were accumulated in accounts of foreign companies and trusts in Cyprus and Riga, the owners of which were Leontiev himself and his parents. Kolodnikov was the director of some of these companies,” a source in law enforcement agencies revealed.
According to the SPARK database, Sergey Leontiev remains the sole owner of at least three similar companies in Russia. For example, the Moscow-based firm SMU-TEC-19, with a staff of five and a registered capital of 7,600 rubles, is engaged in the sale of consumer electronics. A more affluent organization, the “Scientific-Production Center ‘Khimplast’” with a capital of 175 million rubles, is a subsidiary of this small company, and it is now being liquidated by Alexey Saltykov, who is currently involved in dissolving the “Life” financial group. Leontiev also owns the design bureau “Aviastroi” and the company “ZIL-Stroinvest.” Furthermore, Leontiev has a stake in six companies.
Former Vice President of “Probiznesbank,” Alexander Lomov, is a co-owner of at least 15 different companies, including a photo laboratory, a charitable foundation, an auto transport company, an agricultural enterprise, and a housing cooperative. Some companies have individuals with the same first and middle name, presumably his brother – Sergey Vladimirovich Lomov.
Alexander Zheleznyak and Sergey Leontiev are hiding in the USA
Sources in the security services have disclosed that investigators have already determined the whereabouts of Leontiev and Zheleznyak. They are in the United States. The location of Lomov remains unknown.
“In the near future, investigative authorities will take all measures provided for by the current legislation with the aim of extraditing the accused and establishing the criminal liability of all accomplices,” stated a source.
Investigators intend to send materials on Leontiev and Zheleznyak to the General Prosecutor’s Office, which will then contact their counterparts in the USA to initiate extradition negotiations for the bankers to return to Russia.
As for the bank’s assets, on March 10, the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) reported the results of the inventory of “Probiznesbank’s” assets. The total shortfall amounted to 69.8 billion rubles.
Unlawful Bank Activities
Experts at the DIA were unable to locate documents confirming certain transactions. Moreover, the bank’s balance sheet revealed transactions that were not actually executed.
According to experts, the embezzlement scheme at “Probiznesbank” is typical of unscrupulous banks. This is evident from the wave of lawsuits that the DIA has filed against the leadership of credit organizations that have had their licenses revoked, says Tatiana Goncharova, Managing Partner of the legal firm LexProf:
“The bank’s activity is to lend to legal entities. In cases involving the withdrawal of funds, such loans are granted without collateral. This constitutes the unlawful actions of banks.”
According to her, the Central Bank is obligated to identify risky credit transactions, says Goncharova.
But the Central Bank didn’t notice anything, and there was probably a reason for that. The former owners of “Probiznesbank,” Leontiev and Zheleznyak, had always been close to the regulatory authority’s leadership. After the 2008 crisis, the Central Bank entrusted businessmen with the rehabilitation of “Gazenergobank” and “Bank24.ru,” allocating 7.5 billion rubles to them. Just a year before the revocation of “Probiznesbank’s” license, it was assigned the task of rehabilitating the “Solidarity” bank, for which it received an additional 6 billion rubles in preferential credit from the regulator.
After “Bank24.ru” lost its license, “Probiznesbank” actively started providing loans to dummy companies. Subsequently, under the guise of purchasing obviously illiquid securities, the money was transferred to offshore accounts under the control of the companies’ management. These funds were then invested in real estate and luxurious living for the bank’s beneficiaries.
For instance, it is claimed that Olga Zheleznyak purchased a colonial-style house at 88 Cutler Line in Brooklyn. The transaction amount was 4.4 million dollars. Meanwhile, the total deficit in the bank’s balance sheet reached, by various estimates, from 40 to 67 billion rubles. The Central Bank introduced temporary administration in the bank.
