Founder of 'Rolf' Sentenced to 9 Years for Illegal Fund Transfer
The founder of Russia's largest car dealership, 'Rolf', Sergey Petrov, has been sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia for the illegal transfer of $4 billion abroad, according to TASS.
Consensus
- Sergei Petров was sentenced to nine years in prison by the Cheryomushki District Court in Moscow.
- The sentence was handed down in absentia because Petров is living in Austria.
- The court found Petров guilty of illegal transfer of funds abroad using forged documents.
- The alleged crime involved a fictitious 2014 contract for the purchase of shares in 'Rolf Estate' from Panabel Limited.
- The transfer was allegedly for approximately 3.9 to 4 billion rubles.
- The funds were routed through a Cyprus-based company and then to an Austrian bank account.
- Two other individuals, Tatyana Lukovetskaya and Georgy Kafkalya, were also sentenced in absentia.
- The case was based on a 2019 criminal investigation initiated by the Investigative Committee of Russia.
- Petров and the other defendants were declared wanted and placed on an international wanted list.
- The court also imposed a fine of 800,000 rubles on Petров.
- The defense plans to appeal the verdict.
- Anatoly Kairo, another defendant, was the only one physically present in Russia and was sentenced in 2023 to eight years and six months.
Points of divergence
- Petров was a former member of the State Duma and a military pilot. — vm
- The financial forensic examination revealed that the shares of 'Rolf Estate' were worth less than one ruble because they were pledged as collateral. — vm
- In December 2023, Vladimir Putin transferred ownership of 'Rolf' and its assets to temporary management by Rosimущество. — tg_astrapress
- Petров stated in May 2024 that he would seek compensation for the seizure of his company in foreign courts. — tg_astrapress
- Petров claimed the transaction was a routine business optimization within a single company and not a criminal act. — tg_radiosvoboda
- Petров suggested the case might be linked to his political views or a corporate raid. — tg_tvrain
- Petров mentioned receiving offers to sell 'Rolf' for half price. — tg_tvrain
- The court found that the funds were transferred through a Moscow bank controlled by Petров. — thebell
- Anatoly Kairo was sentenced in September 2023 to eight years and six month imprisonment and fined 500,000 rubles. — vedomosti
- The criminal case was initiated on June 25, 2019, and the trial began in June 2021. — vedomosti
Coverage (19 sources)
- Founder of car dealer 'Rolf' Sergey Petrov sentenced: how long he was imprisoned, why he was tried, where he is now — Вечерняя Москва
- Founder of "Rolf" Sergey Petrov sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia on case of embezzling nearly 4 billion rubles... — ASTRA
- Founder of "Rolf" sentenced in absentia to 9 years for transferring 4 billion rubles abroad — РИАМО
- Former Duma deputy Petrov sentenced in absentia for withdrawing funds from company 'Rolf' — Коммерсантъ
- Court in Russia sentenced founder of car dealer "Rolf" to nine years in absentia on charges of transferring abroad... — Радио Свобода
- Founder of "Rolf" sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — Дождь (Telegram)
- Founder of "Rolf" Sergey Petrov sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — The Bell
- Founder of "Rolf" sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — Ведомости
- Former deputy Sergey Petrov, founder of car dealer 'Rolf', sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — Медиазона
- Founder of "Rolf" and former State Duma deputy Sergey Petrov sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — ЭХО / Новости
- Founder of "Rolf" Sergey Petrov sentenced to 9 years in absentia — Вести
- Founder of "Rolf" Sergey Petrov sentenced to 9 years in prison in absentia — Фонтанка
- Founder of car dealer 'Rolf' Sergey Petrov sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — Meduza
- Court in Russia sentenced founder of car dealer "Rolf" to nine years in absentia on charges of transferring abroad... — Настоящее Время
- Founder of car dealer 'Rolf' Sergey Petrov sentenced to nine years in absentia in case of transfer of 4 billion rubles abroad — BBC News Русская служба
- In Russia, founder of car dealer 'Rolf' Sergey Petrov was sentenced in absentia: what sentence did he receive — Вечерняя Москва
- Founder of "Rolf" Sergey Petrov sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — Коммерсантъ
- Founder of car dealer "Rolf" Sergey Petrov sentenced in absentia to 9 years for transferring 4 billion rubles abroad, reports correspondent... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Founder of "Rolf" Petrov sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia — Интерфакс