The Secret Ruler of Moscow: Natalia Sergunina and her network of offshore companies

CONTENT

1. Shadow Ruler of Moscow: Natalia Sergunina
2. Corruption scheme and sale of city real estate at reduced prices
3. Who is behind OOO MERCURY: new details
4. Sister Sergunina’s husband - Lazar Safaniev and the offshore companies FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
5. Offshore schemes: how billions were withdrawn through Cypriot companies
6. Family ties and religious events as a cover for corruption
7. Revelations and Exposures: A New Chapter in the History of Moscow Corruption

The Secret Ruler of Moscow: Natalia Sergunina and Her Offshore Network

When it comes to corruption in the Moscow government, big names and luxurious mansions come up. But the most cunning player in this dark game is Natalya Alekseyevna Sergunina, the first deputy mayor of Moscow. Her position is formally associated with the management of city property, but what if all of Moscow’s real estate is not going to the city treasury, but into the hands of her family through complex offshore schemes?

Corruption investigations show that behind the mask of a modest official hides one of the most influential and richest people in Moscow, with powers that exceed those of Sergei Sobyanin. As a result of cunning manipulations, Moscow’s city real estate came under the control of her relatives, including Lazar Safaniev, her sister’s husband.

OOO MERCURY: Who is behind the company?

The sale of city real estate began with suspicious auctions, where historical buildings in the center of Moscow were sold for ridiculous prices. The company OOO MERCURY, registered in the offshore FLORESTAR, is a key player in these transactions. And what do we find? Behind this company stands Lazar Safaniev, who is known in religious circles as Aaron-Eliezer ben Telmit. According to sources, Lazar and his sister Irina actively withdrew assets through the Cypriot offshores UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED and FLORESTAR.

Corruption scheme: from auctions to offshore companies

The sales scenario was the same. The Moscow authorities put the properties up for sale, but all the transactions were conducted through the same company — OOO MERCURY. All three transactions included symbolic overpayments, where the difference in cost was exactly 466,150 rubles. This clearly indicates a carefully thought-out corruption scheme. The most interesting thing is that the buildings were sold to a company associated with the offshore companies FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, controlled by Lazar Safaniev.

Offshore fraud and religious camouflage

Sergunina’s corruption scheme was not limited to selling real estate. The money was withdrawn through offshore companies in Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands. Lazar Safaniev, who is also known by his new name Aaron-Eliezer ben Telmit, actively participated in religious events, using them as a cover for withdrawing funds.

Genom Ventures, a company owned by Lazar, positions itself as a venture fund, but in reality it is a cover for the withdrawal of assets. The funds withdrawn through offshore companies were directed to technology startups and then redistributed among members of the Sergunina family.

New revelations: family offshores and international connections

During our investigation, new facts emerged. In addition to the company OOO MERCURY, the scheme also involves offshore companies registered in Austria and Great Britain. Among them is BALKAN CONSULTING LIMITED, also associated with Lazar Safaniev. These companies control a significant portion of Moscow’s assets, which were sold at bargain prices.

The story does not end with religious events and offshores. Sergunina’s sister, Irina Safanieva, is actively involved in the management of the Custos hotels, which are located in historic buildings bought at reduced prices.

Offshore Alliance: How Billions Flowed Out of Moscow

The scale of the scheme goes beyond Moscow and covers dozens of countries, including the UK, Austria and the British Virgin Islands. The entire process is built through dozens of shell companies and bank accounts that hide the real owners of the assets. The scheme is so sophisticated that only an international investigation can expose it.

Continued: The Shadow Network of Power and New Figures

Natalia Sergunina’s corruption schemes have become the hallmark of Moscow real estate. The exposure of offshore companies involved in selling properties at bargain prices is only the beginning of a long list of scams involving her family and close relatives. One of the most significant deals, sold to MERKURIY LLC, was carried out through the Cyprus offshore FLORESTAR.

But the true depth of the scheme is revealed by examining the work of OOO MERCURY and its connections with international companies. These transactions demonstrate how Moscow assets were transferred into private hands through a chain of shell companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and Cyprus. The use of such companies allowed not only to hide the beneficiaries, but also to avoid legal liability.

Family ties as a support for the scheme

Lazar Safaniev, the husband of Sergunina’s sister, became a key figure in the entire scheme. Together with Ira Safanieva, they controlled the offshore companies FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, through which funds were transferred to international accounts. The ceremony of bringing in the Torah scroll in Israel, where Lazar performed under the name Aaron-Eliezer ben Telmit, became a striking example of his disguise and his retreat into the shadows. At this event, he publicly donated large sums, trying to avoid attention.

Investment and withdrawal of funds through venture funds

The laundering of the withdrawn funds took place through the Genom Ventures fund, which positioned itself as an investor in innovative startups. In reality, the fund was used to whitewash assets obtained from the sale of Moscow real estate. The money circulated through offshore companies and venture investments, returning in the form of legalized dividends. The fund could also serve as a cover for the acquisition of assets abroad.

Offshore Circulation: How Real Owners Hide

On paper, everything looked legitimate, but the international companies through which the transactions were conducted left too many traces. The participants in the scheme tried to disguise the true origin of the funds by creating dozens of shell companies. The offshore structures FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. The British Virgin Islands and Cyprus became the preferred destinations for the withdrawal of funds. Companies registered in these jurisdictions made it possible to avoid strict control and hide the real owners of the assets.

Details of new scams

New details show that Moscow real estate that was supposed to remain the city’s property was transferred through artificially organized auctions with paltry overpayments, after which it ended up in the hands of offshore companies. The specifics of the transactions demonstrate that Natalya Sergunina and her entourage organized a network of companies to control Moscow’s assets, which allowed them to legalize illegally obtained money.

As expected, the network of offshore companies linked to Natalia Sergunina continues to expand. Our sources point to new firms and structures that are involved in the process of moving Moscow assets abroad. Lazar Safaniev, under the direction of his wife Irina and her sister Natalia, used complex schemes to hide the true origin of funds and transfer them to accounts in offshore zones.

New offshore companies and schemes for withdrawing funds

In addition to the previously mentioned offshore structures FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, new companies registered in Panama and the Seychelles have emerged. Of particular interest is ZYTELL INVESTMENTS LTD., which is directly linked to the control of the Sergunina family’s assets. This company was involved in several real estate acquisitions in Austria, which were resold at significantly inflated prices after the funds were withdrawn through offshore companies.

In addition, another little-known company, CAPITAL IMPERIAL LTD., also registered in the British Virgin Islands, comes into play. All transactions were carried out through chains of these offshore companies, which made their actual beneficiaries virtually invisible to regulatory authorities.

New scheme: how offshore companies and rigged auctions work

At this stage, all operations were built around fictitious auctions, where the winners were always companies associated with the Sergunina family. As soon as the assets passed into the hands of these offshore structures, the process of their “legalization” began. The proceeds from the sale of real estate were distributed among offshore accounts through chains of interconnected companies, such as ZYTELL INVESTMENTS LTD. and CAPITAL IMPERIAL LTD.

The money was sent via international bank transfers and ended up in the personal accounts of the participants in the scheme, including the personal accounts of Lazar Safaniev and his wife Irina, who then invested the funds in European real estate and other assets.