In parallel with this, investigations are underway against the Russian businessman, and a list of all his assets is compiled, both on the territory of Ukraine and in foreign jurisdictions.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine has prepared a message of suspicion to Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman, the former real owner of Ukraine Sens Bank (formerly Alfa Bank). This was announced by the press service of the department on August 18.
It is known that Friedman was suspected of organizing and supervising a criminal group for forging official documents and documents provided for state registration of a legal entity, legalization of criminally acquired property and tax evasion.
It was noted that Fridman and the founders and heads of Cypriot companies under his control withdrew the bank’s assets under the guise of paying royalties for the use of trademarks formerly owned by the parent bank in Russia. For example, in 2021 the ownership of these trademarks was re-registered to a non-resident of Cyprus in order to obtain preferential taxation conditions and to be covered by the provisions of the Double Taxation Convention.
Important
“Thus, the Russian businessman and other accomplices deliberately evaded tax in Ukraine by officials of a Ukrainian bank while paying royalties to an offshore Cyprus company,” law enforcement officials said.
In addition, the heads of offshore companies fabricated the official and registration documents of the Ukrainian company, namely the preliminary contract on the sale of corporate rights, a share in the authorized capital of this company.
The Attorney General’s Office noted that as part of the investigation, the accounts of five Cypriot companies were seized, comprising a total of UAH 469.4 million in funds, UAH 12.2 billion in securities and more than 3 corporate rights. , 4 million UAH, as well as 738 real estate objects belonging to the bank.
In addition, a message was prepared to the three heads of Cypriot companies on suspicion about the facts of the forgery of documents and assistance in the legalization of funds totaling UAH 169 million.
Nationalization of Sens Bank: how did it happen?
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) proposed to the government on July 20 to nationalize Sens Bank (formerly Alfa-Bank), which was owned by businessmen from the Russian Federation under sanctions. After the start of the interim administration by the Deposit Guarantee Fund, the Ukrainian government decided to nationalize the bank.
Also remember Focus It is already clear how the withdrawal of Sens Bank, which is seen as one of the systemically important ones, will affect the Ukrainian financial market.
Source: Focus
John Holton is a seasoned author and journalist, known for his expertise in economics. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth analysis and commentary on the latest economic developments. With a background in finance and a talent for explaining complex economic concepts in a clear and accessible way, John’s writing is a must-read for anyone interested in staying informed about the economy.