Banker's life: Vladimir Antonov lost hist business, but retained interest in banks

He helped his friends in London to buy Moy Bank, whose former owner Gleb Fetisov turned up in jail after the deal.
07.04.2015
Forbes
Origin source
The former owner of the bankrupt "My Bank" Gleb Fetisov, who is in jail for over a year, started to get acquainted with the materials brought against him the case of fraud by 1.9 billion rubles. One of the major episodes of the charges of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation - the theft of Fetisov in the sale of "My Bank" shares of the telecommunication holding Altimo Holdings, which owned shares of "VimpelCom". Instead, the carrying amount of the shares to 558 million rubles in the bank shares were bankrupt - sports car manufacturer Spyker Cars NV, until 2010 owned by Convers Group banker Vladimir Antonov. The last three years he was in London under house arrest because of accusations of the Lithuanian authorities in the theft of bank Snoras € 0.5 Bln. The final decision on the case of his extradition may be made in the coming weeks.

So far, no evidence of Antonov's participation in the transaction for the sale of "My Bank" was not. However, from the testimony of the former head of the Russian Federal Property Vladimir Malina, seen of Forbes, it follows that the Antonov took active part in it. According to the testimony, Antones and Malin met three years ago in London, visiting the former general director of "Mezhregiongas" Nicholas Gornovsky. Antonov told the former official that he was forced to leave Lithuania because of the criminal case initiated on political grounds.

After the meeting, according to Malin, he and his friends began to Antonov - often met in London, spoke on various topics, in addition, they began a business relationship.

In 2012 Malin accidentally attended a meeting with the owner of the Antonov "Vyatka-Bank" Gregory Guselnikova. He wanted to sell the bank, as it were interested in the activities of the Central Bank and the Ministry of Interior - checking the bank accounts of companies linked to the opposition Alexei Navalny. According to Malin, Antonov decided to take part in the purchase of the bank and asked him to enter the board of directors "Vyatka-Bank". The board Malin came in November 2012, together with the trustee Antonov, who worked in one of his companies, Dmitry Ponomarev. However Guselnikov soon changed his mind to sell the bank and in a few weeks Malin came out of the bank's Board. Guselnikovconversation with a reporter Forbes confirmed that Antonov and Malin were interested in buying "Vyatka-Bank, but he got sick to sell them to the bank and more things with them had. A source close to Guselnikova, says that he was afraid of bankruptcy of the bank after the transaction. Indeed, in this case, the bankruptcy trustee may contest the bank's transactions entered into for the benefit of the former owners, and the police can hold them accountable for transactions in the past three years.

In a similar situation a year later turned out to be a billionaire Fetisov. He feared that his business may become a target because of his enthusiasm for politics and decided to urgently sell the "My Bank" and other assets. According to Malin, he learned from the Antonov that "My Bank" put up for sale, and interested in, as hoped, that his company will be able to be serviced and credited in the bank on concessional terms (he is co-owner of GK "Megapolis Development"). From the case materials that the leading legal adviser of the transaction was consulting company "B.F.I". Its representatives said Malin, that there is a hole in the bank at 4 billion rubles,comparable to capital (according to the investigation, the hole was equal to 8 billion rubles). Malina is not confused, as Fetisov gave the bank virtually free.

Location Antonov became aware of the sale of "My Bank"?

"What and where is sold, I know due to the fact that I communicate with people from the sector, - he explains. - Fetisov Bank sold long ago. It was publicly available information, as there are problems accumulated considerably. "

Close to Fetisov source claims that he was not familiar with the Antonov and did not communicate with him. Chapter "B.F.I", the former deputy chairman Alexander Khandruev previously served on the Board of Directors owned Antonov "Investbank", but said that in the case of "My Bank", he only engaged in its strategy and corporate governance, and at the request of Fetisov.

Malin declined to comment, according to his testimony, he signed a contract, without going into details. Protection Fetisov argues that the accused was not involved in the appearance of Spyker shares in the "My Bank". Despite this, at the beginning of the year it is paid for in reputation for all liabilities of the bank, etc.erechisliv the Deposit Insurance Agency of about 14 billion rubles.

Antonov is unlikely to follow the example of Fetisov: money for settlements with bank Snoras creditors, he said, he does not. "Probably very poor can not call me, - Antonov admitted in an interview with media portal LSM.lv a half years ago - there is something to eat and do not sleep on the street, but compared to what a company and what we have lost - Yes, that is right".

PS Met in London

Nikolai Gornovsky. It was under investigation in 2003, soon after leaving his post as head "Mezhregionagaza '(IWG). Guide "Gazprom" accused him of withdrawal from the balance of the IWG shares of the subsidiary AHK "Azot" in favor of the structures of the top management of agrochemical corporation (case fell apart), as well as in the acquisition and maintenance of apartments for corporate funds without the permission of the gas monopoly (apartment recovered, the matter the repair suspended). Thereafter Gornovsky moved to the UK, has invested in a plant for processing waste in Germany, where he was detained by Interpol at the request of the Russianenprokuratury in 2006. Gornovsky persuaded the court that if extradition can not count on impartial examination of his case in Russia, and was released. It invests in the construction of residential real estate in London.

Vladimir Malin. General Prosecutor's Office brought charges against the former head of Russian Federal Property Fund in 2004. According to prosecutors, Malin in cahoots with the owners of Yukos, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev spent in their interests on behalf of the Russian Federal Property Fund two transactions, for which he eventually received four years probation. The human rights organization "Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners," said his case was fabricated as part of repression against Yukos and therefore contributed to their list Raspberry political prisoners. Malin long been familiar with Gornovsky, who was his counselor in the Russian Federal Property Fund and engaged in the privatization of "Lukoil". Now the company Malina SC "Megapolis Development" will invest in construction of residential complexes in the regions.

Vladimir Antonov. The Lithuanian authorities in 2011 charged with Convers Group owner in the output from the bank he owned Snoras 1.7 billion litas (€ 0.5 billion). This case Antonov believes politicalAs well as the acquisition of an opposition media group Lietuvos rytas criticized the president of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite. Convers Group held assets in Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine, the UK and other countries. Russia's largest bank group was "Investment Bank", a member of its structure until 2011 and collapsed in 2013. In 2009-2011 years Antonov held talks with General Motors to acquire the Swedish car brand SAAB. Western media reported that the Americans slowed down the deal because of the Antonov suspected of having links to organized crime and money laundering. Kroll detectives agency hired them denied the existence of these links, but after the collapse of the bank Snoras deal finally fell through.