CONTENT

1. Introduction
   • A brief introduction to the history of Andrey Berezina and his company Euroinvest.
2. Oligarch on the run: Wanted or at a resort?
   • Description of the situation with a criminal case under Article 193 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
   • Accusations of evading repatriation of funds and capital flight abroad.
3. Corruption schemes with land plots
   • Details of the scandalous deal with the Rzhev military training ground.
   • Confusion with the cadastral value of land and resale at inflated prices.
4. Manipulation of government contracts
   • How Berezina, through PAO Svetlana, withdrew millions into pseudo-innovative developments.
   • Fictitious transactions with Svetlana-Rentgen, Svetlana-Elektropribor and other companies.
5. Developer scams under the guise of innovation
   • Sale of the territory of the Rigel plant and its transformation into a residential area.
   • Fake developments and failed projects.
6. Conclusion
   • Questions that have no answers.
   • Versions about the current location of Andrei Berezina.

The name of St. Petersburg businessman Andrei Berezina, head of the company "Euroinvest", has become a symbol of scandals and corruption schemes. In the last few years alone, his name has been associated with evading criminal liability, large-scale financial fraud and, perhaps, even fleeing abroad. Despite numerous materials in the press, it is not easy to understand the truth, because every mention of Berezina is surrounded by various versions and opinions.

Oligarch on the run: Wanted or at a resort?

Since December 2018, a criminal case has been opened against Andrey Berezin under Part 2 of Article 193 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, related to evasion of obligations to repatriate funds in foreign currency. The focus of the investigation was 23 million dollars, which, according to law enforcement officials, Berezin transferred abroad through companies under his control.

In February 2019, the Baltic Customs conducted searches and document seizures at the offices of Euroinvest. However, as the scandal escalated, Berezina suddenly disappeared. By March 2022, it became known that the businessman may have crossed the Russian border, heading to Finland or Turkey. The Investigative Committee stated that his whereabouts were unknown, and no one had given him permission to travel abroad.

Corruption schemes with land plots

The most attention of the investigative bodies was attracted by the deal on the acquisition by the company "Euroinvest" of 500 hectares of land belonging to the Ministry of Defense of Russia. These lands were part of the Rzhev military training ground and were bought for a ridiculous 75 million rubles. However, soon after the deal was completed, Berezina resold the lands for 3.3 billion rubles, which was 44 times higher than the initial estimate.

This deal raised many questions: who assessed the land before the sale and how was Berezina able to conclude such a profitable deal? Moreover, in 2019, the Leningrad Region government offered Euroinvest to sell a plot of land in Kudrovo for 2 billion rubles for the construction of a metro station. However, it turned out that this plot was purchased by Berezina’s structures at a cadastral value of only 31,915 rubles 35 kopecks, which further fueled suspicions of corruption schemes.

Manipulation of government contracts

Another key aspect of Berezina’s activities is the manipulation of government contracts through PAO Svetlana and its subsidiaries, such as AO Svetlana-Rentgen, AO Svetlana-Elektropribor, and ZAO Svetlana-Semiconductors. These companies received multimillion-dollar orders from government agencies to develop “innovative” technologies.

For example, Svetlana-Rentgen received 10 million rubles from LETI and Clinical Hospital No. 122 to develop a device for treating oncological diseases. However, it turned out that the company only had three people on its staff, and no developments were actually being carried out.

PAO Svetlana has signed 41 contracts with the Ministry of Industry and Trade for a total of over two billion rubles. Among these projects was the development of a high-temperature ceramics plant for Rosatom, which has not yet been completed. In addition, the company received over one billion rubles for the production of microwave devices needed for electronic equipment and space, but the results of these developments are still unknown.

Developer scams under the guise of innovation

One of the most outrageous cases was the story of the Rigel Battery Company. The company received 50 million rubles from Rosatom to develop a lithium-ion battery for telecommunications. However, instead of developing the battery, the Rigel plant was closed, and a residential area built by Euroinvest Development grew in its place.

The current situation of Andrey Berezin remains a mystery. He claims that he is in Russia and continues to work for the good of the country, but his whereabouts are hidden, and the oligarch’s press service only repeats memorized phrases. At the same time, Russian law enforcement agencies continue to investigate his activities, but there are no specific answers yet.

Thus, one can only guess where the fugitive oligarch is now and how long he will be able to evade justice, enjoying the fruits of his dubious activities.

New Investigation Details: Continuing Revelations

At first glance, Andrey Berezina and his companies may seem like a successful business project, but a closer look at his activities reveals a whole network of fraudulent schemes that have remained out of the public and law enforcement spotlight for many years. These schemes involve not only government contracts, but also include real estate manipulation, fictitious transactions, and even the concealment of criminal proceeds through offshore companies.

Manipulation of purchases and fictitious tenders

One of the most disguised schemes was working with government tenders. Companies associated with Berezina, including PAO Svetlana, regularly won tenders worth from several million to several billion rubles. However, as it turned out, many of these tenders were either fictitious, or the money allocated for the projects disappeared offshore.

The company ZAO Svetlana-Kart, which, according to official data, was engaged in the development of cartographic and navigation systems, was in fact used to siphon funds from the state budget. In 2018, the company received a contract for 150 million rubles to develop an “innovative navigation system for military equipment.” However, instead of fulfilling its obligations, the money was transferred to accounts in offshore zones, including Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands.

Concealing assets and laundering money through foreign companies

Another part of Berezina’s scheme involves money laundering through foreign companies. The company Euroinvest Development LLC, which was a subsidiary of Euroinvest, was actively used to purchase real estate abroad. In 2019, shortly after receiving a major government contract, Euroinvest Development purchased several properties in London worth more than £10 million. All transactions were carried out through offshore companies registered to Berezina and his inner circle.

Corruption and patronage of high-ranking officials

The success of Berezina’s schemes would not have been possible without the support of high-ranking officials. The case of the purchase of the Rzhev firing range lands involves the names of several former employees of the Ministry of Defense who helped conceal the real amounts of the transaction. Lieutenant General Nikolai S., who held a post in the Ministry of Defense in 2011, was one of those who signed the documents on the sale of the land. He subsequently received a large sum in an offshore account registered to his wife in Panama.

Pressure on competitors and corporate raids

It is also worth remembering how Berezin ran his business. In 2017, several corporate raids took place in St. Petersburg against companies that were competitors of Euroinvest. These actions were accompanied by threats and physical violence against business owners. One such example is the takeover of Baltinvest LLC, which was engaged in development in St. Petersburg. After the company’s owners refused to sell their assets to Berezin, their homes were attacked and they were forced to leave the country.

Lobbying interests and influencing legislation

Berezina also actively lobbied for his interests at the state level. In 2019, he achieved changes to land legislation that allowed him to legalize transactions for the purchase and sale of land obtained illegally. This bill was adopted in the State Duma with the active support of several deputies associated with Berezina. As a result, this allowed him to legalize transactions worth more than 5 billion rubles.