Assets of son-in-law, mother and relatives. Accounts seized in the case of confiscation of Makfa property worth 100 trillion rubles

The bailiff seized the accounts to secure the claim of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office to recover the property of Makfa and its affiliated companies. This was reported by TASS with reference to the text of the bailiff's resolution.

We are talking about the accounts and assets of relatives of former deputy Vadim Belousov and ex-governor of the Chelyabinsk region Mikhail Yurevich.

It is clarified that the bailiff seized the assets of Belousov's son-in-law Maxim Chigintsev, the mother of Mikhail Yurevich, who was put on the wanted list, as well as other individuals and legal entities.

It is also reported that 100 percent of the shares of such companies as First Bread Factory, New Five-Year Plan, Makfa, and Smak have been arrested. The shares of the Dolgovskoye company, which also belongs to Natalya Yurevich and the private Cypriot company Sula Garanti LTD, were also seized.

The shares of Chelyabinskoblgaz belonging to Yurevich's relative and Belousov's son-in-law and the shares of Arkom and PJSC Kalanchak Bakery Plant, owned by the Dutch company MGC International BV, were arrested

The defendants in the case are individuals and legal entities

According to the statement of the Prosecutor General's Office, Yurevich, Belousov and his wife, and a number of individuals and legal entities were involved as defendants in the application of the Prosecutor General's Office.

Among them are Yurevich’s father, mother and son, Belousov’s daughter and son-in-law, his father, director of Issuer Consulting Marina Savranskaya, former head of Arcom Natalya Petrasheva, and SMAK shareholder Vladilen Fufarov.

Lawyers object, citing Russian legislation, that the circle of defendants, which can only include ex-officials, their wives, minor children and property, is limited.

The Prosecutor General's Office filed a lawsuit to confiscate shares of the Makfa company on March 28

The Prosecutor General's Office filed a claim with the Central District Court of Chelyabinsk to convert Makfa shares into state income on March 28.

The prosecutor's office is seeking to convert the shares of Makfa, the management company (MC) Agromakfa, Smaka, First Bread Factory, Chelyabinskoblgaz, as well as the New Five-Year Plan, Dolgovskaya, Ural-Media, and Management Company into state income. Media Center” and others.

The prosecutor's office believes that these companies have a corrupt origin, and the main defendants, Yurevich and Belousov, have violated anti-corruption laws for many years.

The prosecutor's office spoke about schemes involving management through dummies

Yurevich was a State Duma deputy from 2000 to 2005, until 2010 he was the head of Chelyabinsk, and until 2014 he served as governor of the region. Belousov was a deputy of three convocations of the State Duma from 2011 to 2023.

According to Russian legislation, they did not have the right to engage in business and had to refuse participation in companies notes “Kommersant”. However, during the prosecutor's investigation, it was found that the defendants actually owned a group of commercial companies, did not submit information about them to control authorities, and managed assets through relatives and proxies.

At the same time, they used their high position in power to achieve their own business interests.

Prosecutor General's Office of Russia

The Chelyabinsk Pasta Factory, Chelyabinsk Bread Factory No. 1, and Sosnovsky Bread Products Factory, owned by Yurevich, were previously state-owned enterprises. On their basis, Makfa and the First Bread Factory were created.

The Prosecutor General's Office believes that Yurevich transferred his business projects to his parents and son, as well as to his partner Vadim Belousov. Also involved in the “criminal scheme of nominal ownership of corrupt assets” was Belousov’s wife, daughter, son-in-law and mother-in-law. In addition, the defendants’ proxies, nine people in total, took part in the management of the companies.

The case contains witness testimony that Yurevich developed legal mechanisms that did not allow nominal leaders to make decisions unfavorable to him. He also looked for ways to move assets abroad.

The Prosecutor General's Office notes that Yurevich and Belousov obtained government support for their enterprises, such as benefits, subsidies, land for construction and preferential loans.

Yurevich and Belousov fled abroad

After the initiation of a criminal case on bribery, Yurevich and Belousov fled abroad and were put on the international wanted list.

According to Kommersant sources, Yurevich “acquired” Cypriot citizenship. It is clarified that the defendants continued to control the business through third parties. Part of the assets were transferred to offshore companies registered in Cyprus, through which enterprise funds are received as dividends.

Belousov's mother-in-law's lawyer doubts the favorable outcome of the case

Lawyer Lyudmila Aivar, who is defending Belousov’s mother-in-law, 81-year-old Margarita Butakova, said in a comment to Kommersant that she doubts the favorable outcome of the case.

But, unfortunately, when such a skating rink begins to move, it is difficult to assume a favorable outcome

Lyudmila Aivaradvocate

She clarified that she, her trustee and the rest of the participants in the process were not aware of the claim by the Prosecutor General’s Office as of March 28.

The defense believes that now, based on the charges brought, it will have to prove that “the business activity was not related to the state.”