Fraud Case Involving SCF’s Former CEO Sent to Moscow Court

The embezzlement case against Dmitry Skarga, ex-CEO of the Russian shipping company Sovcomflot (SCF) and Tahir Ismailov, ex-president of Novoship was forwarded to a court in Moscow on May 13, 2016, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation. 

Namely, Russia’s Deputy Prosecutor General, Viktor Grin signed an indictment under the criminal case against the two men and a Saint-Petersburg citizen, Yuri Nikitin. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the criminal case has been sent to the Dorogomilovsky District Court of Moscow for a trial on the merits with the absence of the guilty party.

The investigators believe that in 2001-2005 Skarga and Ismailov, acting with the criminal community established by Nikitin embezzled the funds from the two shipping companies in the amount exceeding RUB 8 billion (approx USD 123.4 million) and laundered over RUB 5.5 billion.

The abovementioned are accused of crimes including the establishment of criminal conspiracy and participation in it, abuse of authority, embezzlement and laundering of money and other property acquired through criminal activity.

The money was purportedly misused by overstating commissions payable to foreign brokerage companies for the conclusion of purchase and sale transactions for ships of the two companies. After payment was received, the margin was transferred to the accounts of companies controlled by the accused, Russian Legal Information Agency RAPSI reported in 2012.

The accused persons have been reportedly hiding in London and, starting from 2006, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation has repeatedly requested the relevant authorities of the UK for their extradition for criminal proceedings. However, the extradition was denied.

Previously in 2012, Yuri Privalov, a former head of a Sovcomflot (SCF) subsidiary was found guilty by Moscow court for embezzling over USD 67 million between 2000 and 2005.

SCF and its subsidiaries were in litigation with former SCF CEO Dmitry Skarga, former CEO of SCF British subsidiary Fiona Maritime Agencies Privalov, former Novoship President Tagir Izmailov and businessman Yuri Nikitin for over five years until 2010, according to RAPSI.

World Maritime News Staff