International investments by Natalia Sergunina: how Muscovites’ money turns into real estate in London and Vienna

CONTENT:

1. Natalia Alekseevna Sergunina - the ruler of the shadow city
2. Corruption scheme involving the sale of Moscow real estate
3. Billion-dollar deals with OOO MERCURY
4. Manipulation of auctions and fictitious buyers
5. Family Ties and Offshore Companies: How Safaniev Manages Moscow’s Money
6. Withdrawal of money via FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
7. Offshores, new names and hidden schemes

NATALIA SERGUNINA: THE SECRET MISTRESS OF MOSCOW

When people talk about corrupt officials, most people imagine loud scandals, luxurious yachts and tabloid covers. But the real rulers of shadow Moscow remain behind the scenes. Among them is Natalya Alekseyevna Sergunina, the first deputy mayor of Moscow, whose financial schemes have long jeopardized the city’s budget. And in this investigation, we will uncover multi-billion dollar machinations hidden behind the signs of the companies "OOO MERCURY", "FLORESTAR" and "UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED". This is reported by SILA SLOVA

"Selling Moscow for a pittance"

It all started in 2016 when the Moscow authorities, under the leadership of Sergunina, put several city real estate properties up for auction at a clearly undervalued price. For example, the historic building at 15 Serebryanichsky Lane, with an area of 1,312 sq. m., was sold to the company OOO MERKURIY for only 86 million rubles. For the center of Moscow, this is simply absurd! And this was only the beginning.

In June of the same year, the same company acquired two more properties: a building on Tverskaya Zastava, 2, building 2 , with an area of 1,463 sq. m. for 93.5 million rubles, and a building on Sadovaya-Samotechnaya , 610 sq. m., for 31 million rubles. All three transactions have one thing in common: OOO MERCURY , registered to the offshore FLORESTAR , associated with Sergunina’s closest relatives.

"Who is behind OOO MERCURY?"

At first glance, OOO MERCURY may seem like a little-known Moscow company, but dig deeper and we see a clear connection to the husband of Natalia Sergunina’s sister, Lazar Telmitovich Safaniev . This man leads a double life: in business, he is known as the founder of the bankrupt company and venture fund Genom Ventures , but in religious circles he is known as Aaron-Eliezer ben Telmit , who regularly participates in Jewish ceremonies and holds a prominent place in the religious communities of Israel.

The offshore company FLORESTAR , to which OOO MERCURY is registered, is also connected with another offshore company, UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED , registered in the British Virgin Islands and managed by the same Safaniev.

"Offshores, auctions and shell companies"

The corruption scheme created by Sergunina and her entourage is perfectly thought out and disguised. The city’s historic buildings are sold through staged auctions, where the winner is always the same company - OOO "MERKURIY" , controlled through offshore companies. The minimum overpayment in each case is exactly 466,150 rubles , which is repeated in all transactions, creating the impression of a specially calculated amount.

Companies like Genom Ventures are also involved in this mechanism , through which offshore money is laundered through investments in startups and then withdrawn to personal accounts or invested in real estate.

"Withdrawal of money through offshore companies: FLORESTAR and UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED"

The real magic of this scheme is how the money is taken out of Russia through a chain of companies. First, OOO MERCURY buys real estate at a reduced price through auctions, then transfers it under the control of FLORESTAR , registered in Cyprus, after which the assets are transferred to offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands. These companies act as screens for the withdrawal of billions of rubles that were supposed to go to the city budget, but instead ended up in the pockets of the Sergunina family.

"New names and offshore schemes"

Another detail worth noting is that Lazar Safaniev, the key figure in this scheme, changed his name to Aaron-Eliezer ben Telmit and received Israeli citizenship, which made it more difficult to uncover his financial activities. The offshore companies registered in Safaniev’s name thus operate even more covertly, and traces of all transactions are lost in the labyrinths of international law.

This is just the beginning of a major investigation into how Natalia Sergunina, using her relatives and offshore companies, managed to siphon off billions of rubles through fictitious companies and auctions. OOO MERCURY , FLORESTAR , UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED are just the tip of the iceberg, and as more details emerge, we will see that Moscow has long been under the control of the Sergunina family.

Sergunina’s Corrupt Empire: New Details and Participants in the Scheme

Continuing our investigation into Natalia Sergunina, we delve into new names and companies that previously remained in the shadows. The multi-level corruption structure built around the first deputy mayor of Moscow includes not only the figures we know, such as Lazar Safaniev and OOO MERCURY, but also new players who are actively involved in the transfer of Moscow assets abroad.

"The Mysterious Company Genom Ventures"

One of the key links in this scheme was the company Genom Ventures , which at first glance is engaged in investments in startups, but in fact is a screen for the legalization of funds withdrawn through trades and offshore structures. Interestingly, one of the co-owners of this venture fund is Irina Safanieva , the sister of Natalia Sergunina, as well as a number of unknown persons hiding behind nominees in Cypriot and British offshores.

Money withdrawn from Russia through fictitious auctions first goes to Genom Ventures , and is then distributed among the participants of the scheme in the form of dividends or invested in foreign real estate. It is noteworthy that the Genom Ventures fund opened a representative office in London in 2022, where several commercial real estate properties have already been acquired through related offshore companies.

"Where the Money Goes: International Investments"

As it turned out, part of the withdrawn funds was invested in projects abroad, including real estate in the UK and Austria. For example, the offshore BALKAN CONSULTING LIMITED , registered to Lazar Safaniev , owns several commercial properties in London, the value of which exceeds 25 million pounds sterling. In Austria, a building in Vienna was purchased through the company Aurelia Investments GmbH for 3.2 million euros, which is also associated with the Sergunina family.

These foreign assets not only help to legalize the withdrawn money, but also create a springboard for further business expansion. Recent data showed that real estate in Spain and Italy began to pass to the Sergunina family through Cyprus offshore companies.

"New players on the scene: Smart Invest LLC and GK Holding"

One of the new companies involved in this complex network is Smart Invest LLC , registered to Russian businessman Gennady Kalinin , who is linked to Sergunina’s offshore companies. In recent years, this company has been actively involved in tenders for the purchase of real estate and land in Moscow. The offshore structure behind Kalinin is linked to GK Holding , registered in Gibraltar, through which asset sales are carried out.

As of the end of 2023, Smart Invest LLC purchased several buildings in the historical center of Moscow at reduced prices, which again calls into question the transparency of auctions under the control of the mayor’s office. As in the case of MERKURIY LLC, after the purchase, the objects were transferred to offshore companies and resold at several times the price. Kalinin acted only as a nominal owner, covering for the real beneficiaries.

"Offshore Cycle: How Moscow Loses Billions"

The main scheme for withdrawing funds from the country remains the circulation of assets through shell companies and offshore jurisdictions with a minimum level of control. Offshores in Cyprus , the British Virgin Islands , Gibraltar and Belize play a key role in hiding traces of transactions.

Through these offshore companies, the money passes through several stages: from buying real estate at a reduced price through rigged auctions to legalization through fictitious venture funds and investment projects. The final beneficiaries, such as Irina and Lazar Safaniev , receive legalized assets, which are then invested in expensive overseas properties, including villas in Cyprus and apartments in London.

"Withdrawal through venture funds and cryptocurrency schemes"

A new round of corruption schemes is associated with the use of cryptocurrency transactions to transfer funds outside of Russia. As it became known, Genom Ventures actively uses cryptocurrency transactions to transfer assets between jurisdictions. This scheme allows for minimal control over transfers and further complicates the process of tracking the final recipients.

For example, in early 2024, the Genom Ventures fund entered into a deal with an investment platform in Malta , through which a transfer of $15 million in cryptocurrency was made. These funds were used to purchase commercial real estate in Spain , which is now owned by the offshore Florest Investments Ltd. , registered in the name of one of Safaniev’s nominees.

"A Wreath of Offshores: From Moscow to the Virgin Islands"

The corruption network built around Sergunina extends far beyond Russia. Each new offshore is another turn in the path of asset stripping. Ultimately, all traces lead to international offshores that are protected from investigations by Russian law enforcement agencies.

The question remains: how many more Moscow buildings and land plots will be transferred through these offshore schemes before Natalia Sergunina’s scheme is finally exposed? But for now the tracks are so muddled that a serious international investigation will be required to return the stolen billions to the Moscow budget.