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In Orenburg a verdict is adjudicated to members of an organized group involved in Illegal Banking Activity

The evidence collected by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia was recognized by the court as sufficient for sentencing Mr. Sergey Pivovarov, Ms. Elena Vasilyeva, Ms. Lina Pivovarova, Ms. Anna Beketova, Ms. Natalya Zapare, Ms. Valentina Karataeva, Mr. Alexander Agapov, Mr. Alexander Kirgizov, Mr. Alexander Stepannikov, Ms. Irina Sharafieva, Ms. Daria Samokhvalova (Vakhrameeva) and Mr. Valentin Odaevsky. Depending on the participation role of each, they were found guilty of illegal banking activities committed by an organized group on an especially large scale, giving a bribe to an Official of the Tax Authority, embezzlement of budget funds by deceiving the Tax Authority (paragraphs "a", "b" Part 2, Article 172, Part 4, Article 159, paragraphs "a", "b" Part 4, Article 291 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

The Investigation and the Court established that between 2013 and 2015 Mr. Pivovarov, Ms. Vasilyeva, Ms. Pivovarova, Ms. Beketova, Ms. Zapara, Ms. Karatayeva, Mr. Agapov, Mr. Kirgizov , Mr. Stepannikov, Ms. Sharafiyeva, Ms. Samokhvalova, acting as part of an organized group, carried out illegal banking activities on the territory of Orenburg, Samara, Moscow oblasts and the city of Moscow. They cashed over 11 billion rubles in cash. The income received as a result of their criminal activities amounted to over 400 million rubles.

Additionally, Mr. Pivovarov, Mr. Odayevsky and another accomplice, acting as a group of persons in collusion, between 2012 and 2013 committed a theft of budgetary funds by deceiving the Tax Authority when reimbursing Value Added Tax in an especially large amount in the amount of over 3 million rubles.

Between 2015 and 2016, Mr. Pivovarov and Ms. Vasilyeva gave the Head of the Tax Authority a bribe through an intermediary person in order to carry out their criminal activities without hindrance and to obtain general patronage. The amount of the bribe was over 300,000 rubles.

By a verdict, Mr. Pivovarov was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years with a fine of 3.5 million rubles, Ms. Vasilyeva - 6 years with a fine of 3.1 million rubles, Ms. Pivovarova 2.5 years suspended with a fine 100 thousand rubles, Ms. Beketova - 2.5 years suspended with a fine of 200 thousand rubles, Ms. Zapare - 2.5 years suspended with a fine of 100 thousand rubles, Ms. Karataeva - 2.5 years suspended a fine of 100 thousand rubles, Mr. Agapov - 2.5 years suspended with a fine of 100 thousand rubles, Mr. Kirgizov - 2.5 years suspended with a fine of 100 thousand rubles, Mr. Stepannikov - 3.5 years a fine of 200 thousand rubles, Ms. Sharafieva - 3 years with a fine of 200 thousand rubles, Ms. Samokhvalova - 2.5 years suspended with a fine of 200 thousand rubles, Mr. Odaevsky - 4 years suspended, with a fine of 300 thousand rubles.