Authorities detained Sergei Vasiliev, a co-owner of the Russian Funds investment group, on June 22 as part of an inquiry into the case surrounding Evgeniy Novitsky, a former head of the same company. The development stems from investigations cited by Kommersant, which notes that law enforcement is examining Vasiliev for involvement in large scale fraud linked to the sale of the non-state pension fund First National Pension. In 2016, investigators allege that about 3 billion rubles were diverted during that transaction, with the overall damages in the case estimated at 8.8 billion rubles.
On June 23, reports indicated that Konstantin Beirit, a manager with Russian Funds, was also detained in connection with the Novitsky case. Beirit is named as a suspect in the same investigation, alongside Vasiliev, as authorities widen the scope of their inquiry into alleged fraudulent activities tied to the fund and related transactions.
At the Moscow Tverskoy District Court, a decision was issued on June 22 placing Novitsky under house arrest until August 20. The prosecution maintains that Novitsky and his associates formulated a criminal plan to siphon funds from the joint stock company NPF Ural FD, a move that is currently under scrutiny by investigators. The proceedings highlight a pattern of alleged collusion and misappropriation involving multiple participants tied to several financial entities.
Earlier reports identified Taicher, a former co-owner of Transfin-M companies, as a suspect in a separate allegation involving the theft of 710 million rubles. The evolving case landscape suggests a broader network of individuals linked to several finance and investment enterprises, all facing questions about the handling of public and private funds. Authorities continue to pursue leads, evaluating complex financial transactions and cross-border implications as part of a wider crackdown on financial crime within the sector.