The Minister for Relations with the Open Government billionaire Mikhail Abyzov (68th place in the rating of the richest businessmen of Russia) made the next sensational statement. He said that the Moscow government is considering possibility of cooperating with Alexey Navalny’s RosZhKKh project.

An agreement on cooperation in the communal services sector can be signed as part of the Open Government and it will work with projects on improving housing conditions of ordinary citizens.“Projects which seek to raise citizens' quality of life, which enable to use social activity of citizens and are aimed to improve housing conditions of ordinary people, do not have political overtones”, the Minister said.

However, Navalny denied the version of a cooperation agreement, calling it “some sort of nonsense” on Twitter.

However, now ZhKKh is no longer oppositionist’s first concern. The National Reserve Bank (NRB) has refused to release so-called “Navalny cards”. It was stated by the main owner of the bank Alexander Lebedev. According to him, he hasn’t seen many results from Alexey Navalny’s anti-corruption work lately.

“Since the times of Transneft and rigs of VTB I can’t remember anything. Besides, it is unclear for what purpose we are collecting the money. On what issue will he do his next anti-corruption investigation?” Alexander Lebedev said. In addition, according to Lebedev, Navalny and executive director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Vladimir Ashurkov failed to convince him that there can be many people who want to receive the “Navalny cards”.

Let's remind that in May 2012, the Anti-Corruption Foundation provided information on release of new debit cards which would donate 1 percent of all purchases to Navalny's RosPil fund. At first the name of the issuing bank was not disclosed, but in July 2012, Lebedev himself said that his NRB would be the issuer.

 

REFERENCE 1 Rumafia.com

According to the official biography, Abyzov graduated from the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of the Moscow State University with degree in Mathematics. But in the university they say that Abyzov was dismissed from the second grade in 1989 for poor progress. The same year Abyzov became the General Director of a trading company "Inter Shops", and in 1991 — Commercial Director of TOO "EMIKA".Applying for the job in RAO "UES" Abyzov specified that he held a post of the Deputy to the General Director in the Department of Industry and Power of nonexistent Federal Financial and Industrial Group of Administrative Department of the President of the Russian Federation. But there was no such an organization in the state registry.
Source: "Promyshlennye vedomosti" from 05.2001

Having been dismissed from the faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Abyzov became the assistant to the deputy of the State Duma Ivan Starikov. He introduced Abyzov to the governor of Novosibirsk region Vitaly Mukha who helped him to realize the first scale project.
Source: "Kompaniya" from 2/28/2005

In 1996-1998 the administration of the Novosibirsk region without tenders concluded contracts with firms "ORTEC" and "Agropromcontract" (Abyzov was the director of the first company and concerned the second one) on delivery of fertilizers, agricultural machinery and combustive-lubricating materials. The prices for contracts were overestimated up to 60-80 %. Most part of production was odd. On the security of deliveries «ORTEC» was illegally transferred 20 % of a state block of shares AO "Novosibirskenergo". These shares remained with firm.After that in 1998 Abyzov became the vice-president of Board of Directors of "Novosibirskenergo". Soon he was invited by Anatoly Chubays to RAO "UES" as the assistant. Abyzov had huge sphere of activities: simultaneously he was also the president of AOZT «МIB Group»; also Chubays delegated him to Boards of Directors of six affiliated companies of "Novosibirskenergo", including "Kuzbasenergo" and "Krasnoyarskenergo". He was also entrusted to supervise contracts and calculations on electric power payments in the federal wholesale market.The reason why Chubays hired so young man as an assistant could be their common planned swindle. It began in autumn, 1998 when AO "Krasnoyarskenergo" where Abyzov was a Councilor of the Board of Directors, concluded the contract with ZAO «Independent operator of the energy and capacity market» (NOREM). This enterprise had no license for participation in the wholesale market of the electric power. The contract was signed by M.Kuzichev appointed by Abyzov as the general director of "Krasnoyarskenergo”. It is remarkable that before that Kuzichev was the vice-president of Board of Directors in "Novosibirskenergo".The official purpose of the transaction was decrease in debts of NOREM. But for some reasons NOREM paid a part of deliveries of the electric power from the wholesale market for the region, and "Krasnoyarskenergo" was obliged to take bills of NOREM from the company as payment for the services with 5 years term of repayment. NOREM took a payment from regional consumers, and paid off the bills. Besides the electric power was bought by the region at wholesale price, and was sold much more expensively. Bills in five years should depreciate because of inflation. Krasnoyarsk power supply system and the budget could incur serious losses owing to such swindle.But in 1999 criminal case was brought, and the contract with NOREM was terminated. But the firm managed to receive 60 million in exchange for the pieces of paper. Besides, Abyzov through NOREM operated similarly with "Kuzbasenergo" and "Novosibirskenergo".Chubays and Abyzov for the best control of cash flows got rid of undesirable managers. Bankruptcies were initiated at the enterprises. So, in 1999 with "Kuzbasenergo" was demanded the most part of the redeemed debts of this enterprise. Abyzov especially actively achieved their returning. The arbitration court appointed Sergey Mikhalkov as director, entrusted partner of Abyzov. Soon after that a debt was allowed to be paid with a delay for eight years.It was not always necessary to initiate bankruptcies of the enterprises, as Chubays and Abyzov disposed of controlling interests of many of them that is why they could change managers. So the general director of "Novosibirskenergo" Vitaly Tomilov demanding debt from Abyzov’s company "ORTEC" was dismissed. In 1998 Leonid Melomed participating with Abyzov in Board of Directors of "Novosibirskenergo" was appointed as the head of state concern "Rosenergoatom". Soon after that the concern took bills of NOREM as a payment for the electric power.In 1999 Chubays subordinated the calculating center of the Central dispatching department of RAO UES to Abyzov. So Chubays together with Abyzov had completely an opportunity to withdraw means through NOREM, ORTEC and one more company, "Mezhregion-energo".In June, 1999 the Audit Chamber inspected accounts payable of the RAO "UES". But audit of financial activity of the holding was not completed in the necessary volume. Though there were enough reasons for thorough check, including destruction of innocent people at mass switching-off of consumers from power supply. And in most cases these switching-off were done simply to hurt persons undesirable to Chubays and Abyzov.
Source: " Promyshlennye vedomosti " from 05.2001

In 2000 the conflict between RAO «UES» and Roman Abramovich with Oleg Deripaska, owners of KrAZ factory which was a part of the company «Russian aluminum» started because the last ones refused to pay "Krasnoyarskenergo" for delivered electric power. The power commission of Krasnoyarsk region established new tariffs for the factory, but Deripaska challenged this decision in arbitration court. Before consideration of new tariffs of UES at new session the court decided to count KrAZ according to old tariffs. After that new session was several times postponed. Abyzov declared in mass-media that «Russian aluminum», in his opinion, used imperfection of the legislation for the sake of own benefit. Abyzov also considered that keeping of former tariffs would lead to deficiency of means and intermittence of "Krasnoyarskenergo".
Source: "Newspaper. Ru" from 11/5/2000

In 2003 Abyzov together with Melomed, and other colleagues helped Chubays to create model under the name «Information model of a finance administration holding». It main task was creation of computer network for gathering and processing of the information on budgeting indexes of the regions, consumers of the electric power and debtors of its payment.
Source: "Stringer" from 01.05.2003

In the summer of 2003 the State Office of Public Prosecutor continued investigation of circumstances of privatization of a state block of shares of AO “Novosibirskenergo”- buying up of a state block of shares by the structures under control of Abyzov. Earlier in 2000 in this connection criminal case concerning the governor of Novosibirsk region Vitaly Mukha was brought, however in 2001 it was stopped on amnesty. It became known about continuation of investigation on the eve of extraordinary meeting of shareholders of the enterprise, where RAO «UES» planned to get at least one place in management board.
Source: "Kommersant" from 18.07.2003

In 2002 there was one more criminal case connected with "Novosibirskenergo". The company was accused of unfair delivery of electric power through network of “Novosibirskoblenergo” owing to the damage of the enterprise. But in the autumn, 2004 the case was closed in the absence of crime.
Source: "Kompaniya" from 2/28/2005

During activity in RAO «UES» Abyzov also supervised the project «Russian municipal systems» (RCS). Within this project Abyzov actually resolved governors and mayors not to pay for the electric power in exchange for the consent to start up RCS in regions. The case in Saratov is indicative: because of debts of the local budget electric power companies refused to turn city heating on. The mayor of Saratov Yury Aksenenko wrote Abyzov the letter, having asked to turn on the heating, and also having mentioned that the debt re-structuring issue would be solved later. Abyzov gave the heat at once.
Source: "Vremya novostey" from 21.10.2003

In 2005 Abyzov was invited by Iskander Makhmudov and Andrey Kozitsyn for transformation of "Kuzbassrazrezugol" to the coal-energy company. But the partnership did not succeed, and already in 2006 Abyzov conceded an operational administration to "UGMK-holding" of Kozitsyn, but stayed in the Board of Directors.In 2007 Abyzov wasn't included into Board of Directors of OAO "Kuzbassrazrezugol" that meant his parting with Iskander Makhmudov and the establishing of own coal energy holding.
Source: Kommersant (Novosibirsk) № 114 (3690) from 03.07.2007   

In 2007 Abyzov’s company E4 agreed on purchase of shares of the largest Russian bridges’ construction company "Mostotrest".
Source: «Kommersant» № 119 (3695) from 7/10/2007

Leaving "Kuzbassrazrezugol” of Iskander Makhmudov, Abyzov found another partner – the ex-head of Siberian Coal Energy Company, Oleg Miserva. Together they were engaged in coal sale of OOO "Cannes" Coal Cut”.
Source: «Kommersant» № 120 (3696) from 7/11/2007    

In the beginning of 2008 it became known that Abyzov was going to be engaged in poultry industry. His “Russian management company” declared that it was looking for the general director of the poultry-farming enterprise in Volgograd region.
Source: «Kommersant» № 35 (3852) from 3/4/2008    

In 2008 Abyzov became the official co-owner of Power Company TGK-11, having purchased its shares at RAO «UES». But "Rosneft" having blocked placing additional issues through the court did not let him become a supervising shareholder.
Source: «Kommersant» № 82 (3899) from 5/16/2008    

The company «Transneftservice C», belonging to Abyzov, Alexander Rubanov and Alfred Koch, wanted to get OAO "Mosenergosbyt", but refusal from FAS was received. However in several months FAS changed the mind and it became known that now the company had the chance. Under the informal version, such decision of FAS could be connected with the fact Abyzov was not beneficial owner anymore, but officially these gossips were not proved.
Source: «Kommersant» № 148 (3965) from 8/21/2008    

In 2008 the cut "Sereulsky" which under the informal information was under Abyzov’s control, won auction for a coal site Uregolsky New, but it did not get the license because of non-payment of amount which was record for the coal auctions in Russia  – 13,5 billion rubles. "Sereulsky" applied to arbitration court to challenge auction results, asserting that they did not receive the full data on a site. Experts say as an overall objective of the claim was returning of 50 million roubles deposit.
Source: «Kommersant» № 193 (4010) from 10/23/2008    

In the beginning of 2009 there was a conflict between Abyzov’s Е4 and OGC-2, supervised by Gazprom. OGC-2 declared that Е4 didn't carry out contractual obligations on building of two steam blocks on Stavropol state district power station and didn't want to return the advance payment. In Е4 they said that they did not build up by the request of OGC-2 and they were ready to return advance payment partially. Managers of Gazprom indeed said that they wanted to transfer building of one block to Moscow. Abyzov declared that he was interested to handle the conflict for further cooperation with structures of "Gazprom". OGC-2 also declared that they were interested in the further work. The head of Minenergo Sergey Shmatko took part in the conflict, having written the letter to vice-governor Igor Sechin in which he said about necessity of return of the most part of advance payment.
Source: Kommersant (Rostov) № 153 (4208) from 8/21/2009   

The cut "Sereulsky" (according to unofficial sources, it is controlled by Mikhail Abyzov) is challenging in court the results of sensational auction on a coal site Uregolsky New. "Sereulsky" won the auctions, but did not receive the license because of non-payment amount which was record for the coal auctions in Russia — 13.5 billion rubles. Now the claimant asserts that he had not received any full data about the site. Experts believe that the objective of the claim is returning about 50 million rubles of the deposit. 
Source: Kommersant (Rostov) № 190 (4245) from 10/13/2009

In 2010 Abyzov’s company RU-COM sold packages of four energy supplying companies in Siberia - "Buryatenergosbyt", «Omsk Power Supplying Company», «Tomsk Power Supplying Company » and «Chita Power Supplying Company». Before transaction RU-COM was the largest player in power supplying business of Siberia.
Source: Kommersant (Omsk) № 2 (4300) from 1/12/2010

In 2010 the company «Logistic Trade», supervised by Abyzov, acquired the right to acquisition of a property complex OOO "Cut "Cheremshansky» in Kemerovo region because OOO "Cut "Uropsky» belonging to businessman Alexander Polyakov, which earlier won the auction on sale of "Cheremshansky", couldn't find money for purchase. Earlier at the enterprise external management was initiated, and then competitive manufacture was opened. Then Abyzov’s structures actively struggled in court against its termination and opening of competitive manufacture, motivating that it was possible to improve enterprise with external management. Experts explained Abyzov’s position as it was more favorable to receive the company at external management, than at the auctions. But court did not help, and property was tendered.
Kommersant (Novosibirsk) № 2 (4300)from 1/12/2010    

In 2010, mass-media informed that Abyzov ("E4 Group") acquired the companies: "Antares", "Arktur" and "Integral", owning licenses for use of frequencies in a range of 1900-1920 MHz in all regions of Russia. This range is a part of channel identified for LTE networks – the advanced technology of 4G communication.  Abyzov neither confirmed the deal, nor denied it.
Source: «Kommersant» № 138/P (4438) from 8/2/2010

  
In 2010 it became known that Abyzov was going to sell shares of the Mostotrest Company. Abyzov confirmed those intentions. Thus Abyzov decided to keep a post of the Chairman of Board of Directors in "Mostotrest". Probably the company will participate in building of a line "Moscow-Petersburg".
Source: "Vedomosti" from 9/20/2010

 

REFERENCE 2 Rumafia.com

Since the second half of the 2000's, formerly a professional stocks trader, Navalny became interested in issues of minority shareholders. In 2008, he began to actively engage in so-called "Invest-activism" - buying small stakes in large companies (in particular, he is a minority shareholder in Surgutneftegaz, Transneft, Rosneft, Gazpromneft, TNK-BP, « Sberbank and VTB), and then insisted on the rights of the shareholder disclosure about the activities of the management, which could effect the income of the shareholders and transparency of companies. 
Source: “Vedomosti” № 248 of 30.12.2009

In autumn 2006 the press pointed to Navalny as one of the organizers of "Russian March" prepared by nationalist organizations, but he categorically denied it. Nevertheless, Navalny participated as an observer in the meetings of the committee organizing the demonstration on the purposes of protection of citizens' rights to hold peaceful assemblies. 
Source: "Novye Izvestiya" on 02.11.2006

A major scandal, organized by Navalny, was an alleged embezzlement of $ 150 million by the branch officials of state-owned bank VTB after the purchase of 30 Chinese oil platforms in 2007. The government initially refused to file a criminal case, saying that there was a sufficient reason for this, but later the Moscow prosecutor's office sent the case file to the police to consider the issue of a criminal case initiation. 
Source: www.stockinfocus.ru from 10.03.2010

Alexey Navalny organized a project for the channel TVC - the program "Boytsovsky Club” (Fight Club). In April 2007, after only two shows, that persormed a high rating, the program was suddenly withdrawn off the air. Navalny connected the closure of the program with the existence of "stop-list" made by authorities, forbidding appearance of certain individuals on television. 
Source: www.echo.msk.ru

In November 2007, Alexey Navalny participated in the meeting of the organizing committee of "Russian March" as an observer. Navalny publicly stated that he did not declaim any slogans of "Russian March". In this regard, deputy chairman of Yabloko, Sergey Ivanenko made a critical statement, and in December 2007, at a meeting of the Bureau of the Party Navalny demanded the immediate resignation of the party chairman and all of its deputies and the re-election of at least 70 percent of the bureau; by majority vote, he was expelled from Yabloko with the wording "for causing political damage to the party, in particular, for the nationalistic activity " 
Source: www.polit.ru from 01.02.2008

In 2007, Navalny figured in scandals related to his ongoing television program "Political debate". In February, during the debate between publicists Julia Latynina and Maxim Kononenko radical nationalists appeared led by Maxim Martsinkewich (nicknamed Tesak /"Slasher"), Navalny gave him floor, confirming his nationalist beliefs. Nevertheless, after the debate Navalny filed a statement on Martsinkewich to the police. In October, after the debate between Maria Gaidar and writer Eduard Bagirov, involving violations of the order in the hall, Navalny fired a traumatic gun in a car mechanic Timur Teziev. According to Navalny, Teziev tried to disrupt the debate: he was sent by the Kremlin structures responsible for internal policy and work with young people, including first deputy head of the Presidential Administration Vladislav Surkov. After a six-month trial case of Navalny’s attack on Teziev was discontinued. 
Source: www.vz.ru of 09.03.2007, "Expert" on 02.03.2007, "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" on 09.02.2010

In May 2008, Alexey Navalny announced that he, together with a group of like-minded people, was going to find out why the trader Gunvor sold oil of the largest Russian state and who the beneficial owners were. Navalny said that Rosneft, Gazpromneft and Surgutneftegaz conceal their cooperation with the oil trader from the shareholders. He made a statement that the companies were robbing the shareholders. He demanded in court to open information on contracts concluded by Russian oil corporations with Swiss-registered intermediary firm Gunvor International B.V..The court rejected Navalny’s claims three times. The media believed that Navalny’s interest in Gunvor was due to the revelations of the Russian political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky in the Washington Post about the connection of ex-President Vladimir Putin with the company Gunvor; ostensibly, Putin owns 75 percent of the company Gunvor - oil trader, based in Switzerland; it was settled by Gennady Timchenko , a friend of Vladimir Putin. Alexey Navalny demanded to indicate the volume and conditions on which Rosneft, Gazpromneft, Surgutneftegaz sold oil to Gunvor. 
Source: www.newsru.com on May 15, 2008

In December 2008, Alexey Navalny made a statement in the press exposing the managers of Gazprom, who made several deals in their own interest and tried to cash funds in Latvia. He attained the criminal case initiation, which was discontinued on July 10, 2009. Navalny through the Internet has turned for help to the citizens and asked everyone to send an official letter to the prosecutor. Then the Investigation Committee of the Russian Interior Ministry received 512 formal complaints, and the decision to close the case was changed. 
Source: www.gorod.tomsk.ru from 27.12.2009

As a shareholder of Gazprom, Alexey Navalny stated that his company was robbed. According to him, Gazprom was able to buy oil directly from the company engaged in oil exploration, but still it allowed a certain third company to be an intermediary in the transaction, thus Gazprom is overpaying for oil twice as much because of intermediaries. The feed would goes directly from catcher to the tube of Gazprom, and the profit goes to the firm- intermediary. At the same time, top managers of Gazprom and the state itself did not recognize themselves the victim. Nevertheless, Navalny, as a shareholder of Gazprom, was officially recognized a victim in the criminal case of theft of money from Mezhregiongaz - one of the subsidiaries of the company. There were six defendants in the criminal case instituted on thefts. Those were deputy director of Mezhregiongaz Igor Dmitriev, Director of "Novatek" Alexander Lyadov, former CEO of OOO Transinvestgaz Galina Sheremet, Tatyana Gulyaeva, the former chief accountant of "Trastinvestgaz", the CEO of "Transinvestgaz” Dmitry Novikov and Igor Kataev, the CEO of OOO "Investment Agency" Intellekt i Pravo". They were accused of abuse of power. The investigator handling the criminal case warned Navalny that the director of the department "Novotek" (oil producer) Alexander Lyadov, the one who had been signing the papers for the passage of oil through intermediary firms, died under mysterious circumstances in the beginning of the investigation. 
Source: www.chayka.org from 01.03.2009, www.navalny.livejournal.com, «Vedomosti» № 248 (2518) on 30.12.2009

In 2008, Alexey Navalny filed a lawsuit to force Rosneft to open information about the supply contracts concluded with Gunvor. The Moscow Arbitration Court dismissed the claim, saying that according to the Russian law the company was not required to show its trade relations with Gunvor. After having his claims denied, Navalny was going to sue over the alleged violations of property rights against Rosneft in the European Court of Human Rights. At the same time Representatives of Rosneft argued that shareholders had access to all information required under the Russian law. 
Source: www.stockinfocus.ru from 10.03.2010

In January 2009, Alexey Navalny, as a minority shareholder in Rosneft and Transneft, filed a petition in the Federal Arbitration Court of Moscow District for reinstatement of the procedure term for his two claims on obliging the companies to provide information. Earlier, the Arbitration Court and the Ninth Moscow Arbitration Appeal Court dismissed writs by Navalny, which asked to oblige "Rosneft" to provide information on doing business with oil trader Gunvor. Navalny filed similar requirements for transactions to Surgutneftegaz, which also is a minority shareholder. Analysts believe that the actions of Navalny are just a promotion event, as his shares in the companies are negligible for attaining information, which he claims. 
Source: "Finance" from 21.01.2009

At the same time, in his claim to "Transneft" Navalny required to disclose information about the company payments to charity in 2007. According to him, the charity costs of the holding were excessive and detrimental to shareholders as they reduce the size of dividends. Upon the request of Alexey Navalny chairman of MDM Bank, an independent director of Transneft, Oleg Vyugin sent a letter to the chairman of the board of Transneft, Sergey Shmatko; he proposed to put on the board of directors the publication of information related to charitable activities, as in 2007 Transneft spent for this purpose 7,2 billion rubles, but did not disclose the names of aid recipients to the shareholders. In 2008, Navalny sued "Transneft" in the Arbitration Court of Moscow, but lost: the company proved that it was not obliged to disclose the recipients of its charity. 
Source: www.lenta.ru from 07.10.2009

In 2009, law enforcement inspection of the company "VTB-Leasing" upon the application of Navalny resulted in the following: when drilling rigs were bought, about 160 million went to the accounts of the Cyprus offshore. The inspection resulted in resignation of the director of this company. VTB President Andrey Kostin admitted that the manager had been fired for using illegal schemes. 
Source: www.dp.ru from 18.12.2009

On May 7, 2010 Alex Navalny filed a suit in the Moscow Arbitration Court, in which he requested for disclosure of data of Savings Bank on compensation paid to president Dmitry Medvedev and Chairman of the Board of Directors German Gref. According to Navalny, there was a graph in the minutes of the supervisory board in 2009 with rewards of Gref and members of the Supervisory Board, marked as 'Confidential”. Savings Bank had previously reported that in 2009 bonuses of 23,8 million rubles were paid to the members of the Supervisory Board, and the total amount of payments to top managers amounted to 423.6 million rubles. Then they did not report on the way those funds had been distributed among the members of the Supervisory Board. 
Source: www.lenta.ru from 12.05. 2010


REFERENCE 3 Rumafia.com

In the media there is evidence that Alexander Lebedev began his business career having Ј 400 in his pocket. They wrote that he was selling everything - from shoes to real estate. The most exotic episode of his activities was manufacturing of barbed wire for zones and selling it to NATO peacekeepers in Mogadishu. Lebedev reportedly loves to recall it: a vivid detail is the key to successful PR. 
Source: "Moskovsky Komsomolets" on 27/03/2009

Press wrote about how Alexander Lebedev "played for" the founders of the National Reserve Bank ". It is reported that in 1992 the bank "Kairos"was founded . Shareholders in the new-born structure became Natalia Arkhipova, Gennadiy Petrukhin, Oleg Pirojkov, and Eugene Barihov representing the company "Aretiks». In 1994, the bank "Kairos" changed the owner; And then it acquired another name: the National Reserve Bank (NRB). Eventually NRB got new owners - «Gazprom» and «Gazexport». By the time, two shareholders had dropped out - Natalia Arkhipova and Gennadiy Petrukhin.

Each of the four shareholders of "kairos" owned 25% of the capital which at the time of the bank registration amounted to 3 million rubles, or about $ 6000 at the rate of the time. According to the protocol of the "Kairos"shareholders meeting  from July 15, 1993, the former shareholders decided to introduce into the team of the then working «National Credit» and a number of structures affiliated with it. At the same time they increased an authorized capital of the bank, so that the equities of former shareholders turned into nothing. In 1994 when being re-registered the bank was renamed in NRB, and the former shareholders were withdrown from the founders. Moreover,according to press reports, Arkhipova and Petrukhin claimed that during the fateful meeting they had noteven been in the capital, and, accordingly, they could not have signed any treaties of  new bank shareholders joining. 
Source: "Компромат.Ru" from 19.11.2003

It is reported that Lebedev made his first big money on debt obligations, known as "MinFin bonds» (“vebovka”). Lebedev and Kostin created a Russian investment and finance company (RIFK). Since 1993 RIFK on a management basis became a part of the AB "Imperial" (one of its founders was a classmate of Lebedev - Alexander Mamut and his company "Company Project Financing" (COPF). Lebedev became the head of department on foreign investments of the bank. As they wrote, the essence of the scheme with «MinFin bonds” was that debts of state enterprises got privatized  by a private company which then presented a bill for payment to the state.

Former chairman of Imperial Sergei Rodionov told in an interview that after the Soviet Union collapse debts of the Vnesheconombank to the Russian importers had been frozen, and debts to commercial banks should have been repaid. To convert the debt into cash in April 1993 the firm «Technopomimport» sold one of its debts at an undervalued rate - at $ 15 million to a new bank  of Mamut - "Company on Project Financing "(COPF). That, in turn, pledged to put that debt to the share capital of Bank «Lefortovsky” in which Mamut was an advisor and co-owner. And meanwhile they demanded "MinFin bonds" for the full amount of the debt with from the "Imperial", where the "Technopomimport" had been holding its accounts. Economists calculated that due to exchange rate differences budget lost $ 8.8 million.  According to Rodionov, along with KOPF Lebedev and  Kostin also did a vanishing act from "Imperial" and earned through the "MinFin» bonds in the bank  just like Mamut did. They wrote that the story ended luckily enough for Lebedev: enterprising financier had been noticed in high spheres, they did not reprimand him for fraud, but on the contrary began to actively promote him at the oligarchic stairs. Otherwise, as reported, it is difficult to explain the fact that it was Lebedev who headed the «National Reserve Bank» in 1995 , which was largest shareholder was "Gazprom".

Retrieved from "Compromising" from 19.11.2003, "Компромат.Ru" from 27.01.2005

             

The press described the story about central bank with NBR credited the Ministry of Finance, and doing that was generally prohibited. As the press reported, the Deputy Finance Minister Andrei Vavilov told about the circumstances of the story in his statement to the Prosecutor General. They wrote that Vavilov described the transaction carried out in August 1996. According to Vavilov, there were other participants involved along with him: the Central Bank chairman Sergei Dubinin, Eurobank and National Reserve Bank (NRB). According to Vavilov, in a result of the complicated financial transaction NRB gained an opportunity to earn $ 170 million. However, Vavilov prevented it despite requests of Dubinin. In his statement the former deputy finance minister pointed out that two days after the last conversation with the chairman of the Central Bank his official SAAB had been blown up. 
Source: "Kommersant» ? 119 (1301) on 26/07/1997

      

As reported, in a while the case on $ 170 million which NRB never received was softpedaled. 
Source: "Moskovsky Komsomolets" on 27/03/2009

The name of Alexander Lebedev was mentioned in the press in connection with high-profiled case about the a copier box full of money which had been carried out of Government House for election campaign of Boris Yeltsin in 1996 and promotion of the party «Our Home is Russia ". 
Source: "VolgaPolitInfo" on 30/03/2007

"MK" wrote that according to the documents available for the edition, almost all the money spent on Yeltsin's campaign and promotion of «Our house is Russia» on parliamentary elections, had been received from the state budget. Then it was laundered through offsets between Gazprom and the Ministry of Finance. Big role in those schemes was assigned to the National Reserve Bank. And  the box of copier, as journalists claimed according to the documents, was refilled by members of UXO.            

It was reported that there was only one bank fixed in the journal of the money inflow for the campaign activities payments of the Party «Our Home is Russia" - National Reserve Bank. The daily revenue reached up to $ 4 million.             

None of commercial bank could have withstand such costs, as the press wrote. But when the head of the Central Bank became Sergei Dubinin launched a scheme which allowed this to happen (he originated from the "Imperial" like the head of the NRB Lebedev ). In addition, the accounts of UXO had about 55 million dollars received. 
Source: "Moskovsky Komsomolets" on 03/06/1999

           

According to press reports, another scandal involving NRB dates back to 1997. In July, prosecutors filed a criminal charge of tax evasion by UXO. A former citizen of Russia, former submariner Igor Fedorov claimed about the crime. In its turn NRB accused Fedorov of stealing several million dollars.            

As press reported, at the moment of the statement writing Igor Fedorov born in 1952  lived in the United States as a stateless person. In his explanation he indicated that several heads of the National Reserve Bank carried out a series of deals through their relations in the government offices (former Deputy Finance Minister Vavilov). Those deals supposed that internal currency bonds (OVVZ) got used both in Russia and  abroad (Switzerland, USA). As Fedorov argued , the stated above people had transferred about $ 30 million abroad on accounts of specially created companies that were used to launder unlawfully obtained proceeds.            

According to media reports, investigation found out who was involved in those transactions. Those were: Lebedev Aleksandr Evgenyevich (Chairman of NRB), Kostin Andrey Leonidovich (former Vice Chairman of the Board of NRB, the head of Vnesheconombank) and the Shvedsky Roman Lyvovich (Advisor to Chairman of the Board of UXO). The essence of criminal financial transactions was described as follows: through connections in the Ministry of Finance of Russia Lebedev acquired internal currency bonds for $ 190 million (in nominal value of $ 1 billion), that was 19% of their actual value, while in the market those securities were traded in the range of 30% at the time of purchase. Supposedly representatives of the bank had already gained potential benefit of $ 110 million. To hide the proceeds received from the sale of securities, Shvedsky and Kostin concluded an oral agreement with Fedorov. The latter opened and registered several companies in offshore areas upon their request.  

The further scheme, according to investigators, existed in order to disguise the true owner of  OVVZ - National Reserve Bank - in transactions of transfer of currency abroad. As reported, the investigation concluded that the National Reserve Bank had entered into formal agreements with Fedorov on exchange of OVVZ 6 and 7 trenches to the bonds of the 5th trench. In fact, all funds received from sales of OVVZ, as directed by Shvedsky and Kostin, Fedorov credited to the correspondent account of the Bank «American International» in Mosbusinessbank in favor of the opened firms. Then also on oral instructions the currency was transferred to the accounts of campaigns on the Cayman Islands. And in the end it fell on the firms' accounts in different banks in Switzerland. One of the companies was called "Lebeko", which literally meant "Lebedev and Kostin.       

In his explaination to General Prosecutor Office of Russia Fedorov wrote: to destroy the traces of their illegal activities, as well as witnesses  his "partners" intended to put Fedorov out of the way as soon as he completed all the planned transfers of currency abroad. In the course of the cooperation with Lebedev and Kostin, wrote Fedorov,  they stole all  the contracts confirming his role in transactions with OVVZ, and obligations of Lebedev and Kostin to pay his mediation services. After Fedorov became aware of it, in his words, he decided to break off relations with the companions.       

At the time of the "partnership" breaking the accounts of the companies managed only by Fedorov numbered more than $ 7 million from the sale of OVVZ. According to the investigation, to recover the stolen funds the former companions of Fedorov forged documents on behalf of Mosbusinessbank; they indicated that Fedorov got a loan in that bank and maliciously refuses to repay it. The counterfeits were sent to the arbitration courts of Great Britain (London), Switzerland (Zurich) and the U.S. (Baltimore), which ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.            

The Russian General Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case N «18/171845 under Article 199, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Russia (the repeated tax evasion of organizations). The case was investigated by the Investigation Department in the General Prosecutor's Office. 
Source: B-F.Ru "from 26.11.2003

           

The media wrote: In order to find Fedorov, Lebedev hired several well-known detective agencies. But Fedorov disappeared from his house in Norfolk. He became unavailable for Lebedev. That did not stop him from appearing in front of  reporters here and there. For the "head" Fedorova, or at least for any information about his whereabout Lebedev's people reportedly offered the American associates and lawyers a fugitive from 200 to 500 thousand dollars. All in vain.

When Lebedev had won lawsuits in the foreign arbitrations he immediately withdrew them. In this regard the media supposed: he did it considering that it was not very prestigious to be played for — they would no longer respect him. After that the press was full of articles that it was not Fedorov who had stiffed Lebedev, and vice versa - a poor submariner had been a victim of dirty tricks of the financier and had been forced to hire a staff of private security guards.       

Igor Fedorov reportedly settled in America on the millions gained. In 2002 he wrote a statement to the new Russian General Prosecutor Ustinov in which he said that all the statements having  made to the previous General Prosecutor Skuratov - accusations against Lebedev and his companions — was a lie without any basis. 
Source: "Compromising.Ru" from 19.11.2003

Media reported on participation of Alexander Lebedev in a scandal which occurred because of the film with a man "similar to the former Prosecutor General Yury Skuratov» having fun with girls of easy virtue. 
Source: "VolgaPolitInfo" on 30/03/2007

The scandal began in winter 1999 when the record had been shown on television. In  April 2, 1999, Yeltsin signed a decree on dismissal of Yuri Skuratov. Skurotov was prosecuted for abuse of power.

In this regard, the media reported that there had been a criminal case of fraud for the National Reserve Bank (NRB) headed by Alexander Lebedev in progress of the Prosecutor General Skuratov that time.  

Reportedly in this case there were three directions: scam of money transfer to overseas accounts, establishment of companies by NRB management to take advantage of them for unreasonably increasing of the bank's capital and illegal obtaining licenses for NRB leaders for gun  and for private security.            

According to media reports, the first direction investigation could have been most frightening for Lebedev. He tried to hush up the case, as reported in the media. When the agreement failed, Lebedev began to look for compromising about Skuratov. Incidentally, as reported, Skuratov said that Lebedev was involved in his "deposition" by organizing surveillance.            

They wrote that, according to rumors, the security company "Konus" guarding NRB  ( to the establishment of which Lebedev had been related) began surveillance of family members of the prosecutor. They wrote that the results of that work appeared in the Internet and that Skuratov asked the Minister of Interior Rushailo to investigate the situation. As a result, management of "P" MIA of Russia found out that the security firm "Konus" located all available information through the foreign servers.            

They wrote that neither investigation nor expertise did not confirm the version of Lebedev's involvement in the scandalous filming. Although there was plenty of circumstantial evidence. For example, several firms of Lebedev located not far from "the bad apartment." The shooting equipment was designed for a short reception. There was a witness who said she contacted with people of Lebedev and he was in the house, where the record was made. Lebedev was reportedly interrogated, but without any consequences for him. 
Source: "Компромат.Ru" from 19.11.2003

According to press reports, Lebedev used "black" technologies when he ran for mayor of Moscow in 2003. Media wrote that during the election campaign an unprecedented action started which could have been explained only as an attempt to bribe voters. The action reportedly was associated with a candidate for mayor of the capital, the team leader of NRB Alexander Lebedev. Press wrote that during the week the mailboxes of Muscovites had been thrown with electoral cards. There was a depiction of smiling Lebedev arm-wrestling with a man in cap. One could easily guess Mayor Yuri Luzhkov in the second hero, told the media.  The slogan on the postcards was: "The best is a friend of 'good'." Obviously Lebedev was implied under the best candidate, reporters concluded.            

There was one nuance featuring Lebedev's cards from other campaign materials, the press  wrote - they were numbered, that was each card contained a unique group of numbers. Thus, as reported, postcards became something of a lottery ticket. The media also reported that after distribution of cards mobile groups of citizens posing as members of the electoral headquarters of Lebedev allegedly visited apartments, and gave out valuable prizes - household appliances and even money in the amount of 50-100 dollars. However, not all the owners of cards got the prizes, but only those whose cards contained a "fortunate" set of numbers. It was reported that some Internet youth forums and message boards had messages posted by those who wanted to buy postcards of Lebedev with certain combinations of numbers for 300-500 rubles. According to press reports, a source in the headquarters of Lebedev said that there had been issued 2.7 million of cards issued (i.e. almost  all the Moscow apartments amount), and that every tenth of them was "winning". Press wrote that, according to experts, Moscow faced, on the one hand, the most blatant vote-buying program, on the other -  the most expensive one. 
Source: B-F.Ru on 06/12/2003

In early 2005, according to press reports, Lebedev conflicted with Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov who had initiated the arrest of NRK shares owned by the leasing company «Ilyushin Finance Co» (IFC), established to promote the Russian aircraft. 
Source: www.peoples.ru on 09/09/2008

Problems with «Ilyushin Finance Co" appeared in 2003 when more than 50% of the company shares (i.e., the entire non-state package) were arrested. Media wrote that, according to official version, the Prosecutor General's Office appeared to claim the formation of the legal person's own capital. Journalists referring to the information of knowledgeable sources wrote that investigators of the case on “the Ilyushin Finance Co" found sufficient number of facts to bring to trial on fraud in a large scale a well-known businessman and politician Lebedev. 
Source: "Our Time" from 18.06.2007

According to press reports, on September 6, 2005 at a press conference Lebedev said he was ready to leave the State Duma and head the board of directors of JSC "Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC), which 38% (in other sources - 36%) of the shares belonged to the NRC. He said he did not seen any "other way to save the company."            

It was reported that on October 27, 2005 Lebedev filed in the Supreme Arbitration Court a claim against the government of Russia, and challenged the arrest of shares of the «Ilyushin Finance» in early 2005. On December 19, 2005 the Supreme Arbitration Court dismissed the Lebedev's claim of 27 October 2005. 
Source: www.peoples.ru on 09.09.2008 with reference to the "Vedomosti" on 22.06.2006.

In the press there was an opinion that NRC had simply «played for' "IFC" by paying only a quarter of its share of issue of additional issue. NRC argued their actions by «uncertainties in the criminal proceedings." 
Source: Moskovsky Komsomolets, 27.03.2009

According to press reports, on May 27, 2007 St. Petersburg hosted the first lottery «Nevskoye bingo"- a joint project of the private businesses and the government in St. Petersburg. That event was directly linked to Alexander Lebedev. In the media there is evidence that the actual owner of the lottery were the structures close to the National Reserve Bank (NRB). So the main fighter against gambling Alexander Lebedev (he has repeatedly proven himself as such) appeared to be involved in this business.       

Lebedev, as the media wrote, changed his position and recognized the link between NRC and the drawings taking place in St. Petersburg. "I haven't been aware of it until today, the same as the CEO of the bank hasn't. Maybe it was an initiative of the Petersburg branch of NRB ", he let his hair down to the press. 
Source: "Our Time" from 18.06.2007

The media wrote that in June 2006, Lebedev was involved in a conflict between the residents of the micro district in the Southern Butovo and the Moscow authorities which attempted to forcibly relocate residents from their private homes by court decision. It was reported that Lebedev was involved in the conflict on the side of Butovo. 
Source: www.peoples.ru on 09/09/2008

According to the press, Lebedev appeared in the story of the Southern Butovo in the midst of a scandal. In the media a suggestion was made that he had played not the last, if not the main role in the conflict. In some editions he was called the initiator of hype around Butova.            

Reporters found out that there was a contract of lease signed between the deputy and a resident of one of the houses slated for demolition Valentina Popova. Media paid noted that the document was signed on April 3, when noone was going to relocate. At the time of eviction the parliamentary immunity of Lebedev spread to the house. It was reported that Popova gave a room to banker Lebedev for six months rent just for 30 rubles monthly.            

There is information in the media that Lebedev's participation in Butovo events was likely to be a part of long-planned PR-action against Yuri Luzhkov. Journalists speculated that after taking a thrashing three years ago and losing the election for Mayor of Moscow Lebedev tried to take revenge. In fact the events in Butovo had seriously hit the image of the capital's mayor. 
Source: "Life" of 30.06.2006

In the summer of 2007, as written in the press, a revising of the terms of many Lebedev' property objects privatization began in Ukraine. It was reported that Ukrainian investigators found that the process of transferring of some state properties into private hands had been carried out with apparent violations. With reference to the data of Ukraine security, the media wrote: there was every reason to believe that resort land had been bought by the businessman on undervalued rate on the basis of some unknown agreement with the Crimean authorities or even with someone higher up.

One example - hotel "Ukraine" in Kiev, the total area about 20 thousand square meters. It is reported that the scandal around the hotel began in 2004 when there were suspicions that 50% of state property had been transferred illegally to the entities controlled by Lebedev. They wrote in the media that the investigation had led the law enforcement to the top of the Ukrainian authorities: Alexander Lebedev's relation with Igor Bakayev, manager of the President Kuchma. With reference to the Ukrainian press, Russian media wrote that under Bakayev the commercial structures (including Lebedev's one) had been sold the state property for an amount approximately to 64 million dollars. 
Source: "Our Time" from 18.06.2007

In autumn 2009 the media reported that Ukraine lost the lawsuit on the property of the «Ukraina Hotel» which had lasted throughout the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko. By decision of the Supreme Court, the building passed to the ownership of JSC "Hotel" Ukraine " founded five years ago with participation of the National Reserve Corporation (NRC) by the former Duma deputy Alexander Lebedev. 
Source: http://www.dsnews.ua ? 41 (439) on October 12, 2009