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In Moscow Region, two men accused of participation in criminal community in order to transfer abroad over 60 million euros to stand trial

The Moscow Regional Investigations Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia has finished the investigation of two criminal cases into two participants of a criminal community engaged in the illegal transfer of money abroad. Depending on the role of each, they are accused of participation in a criminal community (Part 2 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code of Russia), commission of currency transactions to accounts of non-residents using forged documents (Paragraphs A, B of Part 3 of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia--three episodes), swindling committed by an organized group (Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of Russia--two episodes), and illegal traffic of firearms (Part 1 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code of Russia). Due to immunity agreements signed by the accused individuals prior to trial, these probes have been presented separately.

According to the investigation, between 2014 and 2017, the convicts had been participating in a criminal community involving 10 persons. The community had consisted of structural units with clear assignment of roles. Activities of the criminal community had been aimed at the withdrawal of funds to the Turkish Republic using forged documents. The accused had made currency transactions from bank accounts of six organizations. Each of the companies had transferred approximately 10 million euros to foreign accounts. Thus, a total of over 60 million euros has been transferred to accounts of non-residents using forged documents.

Apart from that, the investigation established the involvement of two convicts in the theft of $1 million from two citizens that had taken place on December 28, 2017, in a currency exchange bureaux located on Sadovaya-Samotechnaya Street in Moscow. Using forged passports, the convicts had rented the operational cash register and, under the disguise of currency exchange, stolen 57.7 million rubles from two men intending to exchange the cash to $1 million.

In order to compensate for the damage, the investigator arrested approximately 385 million rubles on the bank account of one of the nominal organizations and property of the accused of the total value exceeding 100 million rubles, including prime real estate objects near Moscow, premium class foreign cars, and watches of prestigious brands.

The investigator gathered enough evidence; therefore, the two criminal cases have been referred to the court to be tried on the merits. Apart from that, the investigator is processing a probe into other members of the criminal community accused of the same offenses. One of the accomplices had been convicted earlier. Another accomplice has been declared wanted internationally.

The investigation was actively facilitated by officers of the Directorate for Economic Security and Corruption Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Rosfinmonitoring, and Interpol.