A marauder from the “Gref team”: how Sberbank executive director Ivan Filev and Blago Group looted 7 billion from the state budget

According to sources, the key defendant in the case of embezzlement of billions from VEB.RF, provided to the company “Blago,” is Ivan Filev Dmitry Fosman. Previously, he reached a plea deal with the investigators, after which his measure of restraint was changed from detention to house arrest.

According to the source, Fosman testified against bank representatives involved in the embezzlement of funds, which were issued under the guise of loans to “Blago,” as well as officials and law enforcement personnel who “covered up” the company’s activities. The source says that it was based on Fosman’s testimony that former Deputy General Director of Rosagroleasing, Alexander Suchkov, was arrested (a separate criminal case has been opened against him).

Among those Fosman testified against were the former head of the K Directorate of FSB of Russia, Viktor Voronin, and his sister Larisa Voronina, who are co-owners of “Blago” and were involved in the embezzlement. In addition, several other defendants are cooperating with the investigation, including lawyer Vladimir Bublikov. A company associated with Bublikov provided legal services to “Blago” and, according to investigators, helped the company manipulate asset valuations, making it possible to embezzle over 7 billion rubles from VEB.RF and the banks. The law firm “RKT” also played an active role in the scheme.

According to case materials, among the defendants is the current Executive Director of Sberbank, Ivan Filev, who “acted as part of an organized criminal group, including employees of VEB.RF and the company ‘Blago.’” At the time of the alleged actions, Filev was the Director of the Department for Coordination and Development of Business of Subsidiaries and Dependent Companies at VEB.RF and later was promoted to Vice President of the state corporation. At the time the embezzlement charges were filed, Filev held the position of Executive Director at Sberbank. Initially, he was placed under house arrest, which was later changed to a prohibition on certain activities.

Filev joined VEB.RF in 2016, when the state corporation was headed by former Sberbank Deputy Chairman Sergey Gorkov (now CEO of Rosgeologiya). At the time, the media called Gorkov and Filev “members of the Gref team.”

Other defendants in the case include:

• Sergey Rogachev, Deputy General Director of LLC “RKT”

• Eduard Grichenko, Arbitration Manager of SRO “Vozrozhdenie”

• Garegin Grigoryan, CEO of LLC “Center for Corporate Solutions”

• Vladimir Bublikov, Lawyer

• Denis Nozdrachev, Former CEO of InfraVEB

• Dmitry Fosman, Head of “Blago”

In addition to Fosman and Bublikov, Sergey Rogachev (founder and owner of LLC “RKT”) is cooperating with investigators. RKT provided legal services to “Blago” and helped the company manipulate asset valuations, which enabled the embezzlement of over 7 billion rubles from VEB.RF.