Criminal case regarding embezzlement of over RUB 8 bln of Sovcomflot and Novoship forwarded to the court

On May 13, 2016, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Viktor Grin signed an indictment under the criminal case against Saint-Petersburg citizen Yuri Nikitin as well as ex-CEO of Sovcomflot Dmitry Skarga and ex-President of Novoship Tahir Ismailov. According to the press center of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the criminal case has been forwarded to the Dorogomilovsky District Court of Moscow for a trial on the merits with the absence of the guilty party.

Depending on their role and decree of involvement they are under an accusation of crimes set forth in cl. 1 and 3 of Article 210 CC RF (establishment of criminal conspiracy and participation in it), cl. 2 of Article 201 CC RF (abuse of authority), cl. 4 of Article 160 CC RF (embezzlement) and cl. 3 of Article 174.1 CC RF (laundering of money and other property acquired through committing an offence.

The investigators believe that in 2001-2005 Skarga and Ismailov, acting within the criminal community established by Nikitin embezzled the funds of Sovcomflot and Novoship in the amount exceeding RUB 8 bln and laundered over RUB 5.5 bln.

Starting from 2006, Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation has been repeatedly requested the relevant authorities of the UK for extradition of the mentioned persons for criminal proceedings. The extradition was denied.

Earlier, Yuri Privalov, a party to an offence who had entered into a plea agreement with the Prosecutor General, was sentenced to stay for 3 years at general penal colony with a fine of RUB 1 mln.

Criminal investigations against other parties to an offence are under way.