The Wegner case: how the German ambassador whitens illegal business in Odessa
On Monday, July 5, in Odessa, at the intersection of Mayakovsky Lane and Gogol Street, an office of the AUTODOC company of German entrepreneur Max Wegner, which specializes in selling auto parts on the Internet, opened. The opening ceremony was attended by Odessa Vice-Mayor Pavel Wugelman and German Ambassador to Ukraine Anka Feldhusen. The German diplomat spoke very flatteringly about Wegner’s company and publicly supported his idea to build a modern hotel and marina on the Black Sea coast, and promised to support any of his investment projects, writes Compromising evidence1.
German businessman Max Wegner (Maxim Samov)
But for some reason the city authorities of Odessa and the German ambassador lost sight of the fact that the 34-year-old charismatic businessman and “philanthropist” from Germany, a lover of outdoor activities and a luxurious lifestyle, Max Wegner, or more precisely, a native of Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism), Maxim Samov , implements its ambitious projects, violating the legislation of Ukraine. Moreover, by their actions and inactions they whiten the image of foreign corrupt officials who have taken root on Ukrainian soil.
Max Wegner. Sidewalk theft
During the construction of that very “grand” AUTODOC office, the theft of the sidewalk occurred. According to Odessa City Council deputy Pyotr Obukhov, during construction work, most of the sidewalk was used to build stairs and a concrete parapet, which was not initially provided for by the project. Wegner left 50 centimeters for pedestrians to pass his office. Obukhov wrote an appeal about this to the Department of State Architectural and Construction Control, but the question hung in the air. The German businessman violated Article 42 of the Law of Ukraine “On the improvement of populated areas.” The sidewalk is an improvement object and its unauthorized seizure is punishable by a fine.
The Wegner case: how the German ambassador whitens illegal business in Odessa
AUTODOC office in Odessa
The AUTODOC company has been operating in Ukraine since 2017. Wegner moved to Ukraine from Germany several years ago and considers Odessa a European city where it is good to do business and relax. Of course. In Germany, with its low level of corruption and impartial justice, a Russian “German” would already be sitting in the dock with this approach to the matter. But in Odessa there is room to expand. Especially if you are on good terms with city authorities.
Max Wegner, German Ambassador to Ukraine Anka Feldhusen, Vice-Mayor of Odessa Pavel Wugelman
Vice-Mayor of Odessa Pavel Vugelman, with whom Wegner has a good relationship, knows what matters. In February 2021, NABU officers searched his home and office. The civil servant is accused of misappropriation of property through abuse of official position. At the same time, law enforcement officers stopped by his colleague, Vice-Mayor Svetlana Bedrega, and the head of the Department of State Architectural and Construction Control of the Odessa City Council, Alexander Avdeev. In February 2018, NABU officers detained Vugelman and Odessa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov at Boryspil airport. The officials were suspected of embezzling budget funds when purchasing a new city hall building for 185 million hryvnia.
Perhaps the German Ambassador Anka Feldhusen did not pay attention to the voluminous staircase on the side of the building, which blocked the pedestrian area, since the opening ceremony took place at the main entrance. However, this does not mean that the German embassy could have overlooked other offenses of its citizen, which were widely reported in the press.
House by the sea
It is unlikely that the average law-abiding German will allow himself in Germany to arbitrarily seize land that is communally owned. But this is tough for Wegner in Ukraine, who doesn’t care about our laws. Without any permission, he took over several hundred square meters of land for the green spaces of his villa on a slope along the Health Route in the area of Dolphin Beach. In 2018, a German citizen bought three plots of land with sea views at Krenkel Lane. However, the slope has nothing to do with the land purchased by the businessman and is communal land for recreational purposes. In December 2020, aerial photos of large-scale construction in these areas were leaked to the media. Judging by the photo, the slope was going to be planted with cypress trees.
Construction of Max Wegner’s villa
According to Article 197 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, for the squatting of especially valuable lands, lands in protected zones, sanitary protection zones, sanitary protection zones or special regime zones, a fine of 1 to 4 thousand non-taxable minimum incomes, arrest for up to six months or restriction is provided. freedom up to three years. In addition, GASK issued the necessary permits for the construction of the villa, but did not coordinate this decision with the city department for the protection of cultural heritage. Although, the plots are part of the historical area of French Boulevard.
By the way, next door to Wegner lives the former head of the Odessa Regional Council, Sergei Parashchenko, in a house that looks like the Opera House. In 2020, the SBU and the State Fiscal Service conducted searches at his mansion as part of an investigation into possible tax violations.
Max Wegner with his wife Olga
Max Wegner. Land fraud
But Wegner’s most ambitious project is the beach stolen from Odessa residents by his company Varda Plus. With the full consent of the city authorities (how could it be otherwise, if Vice Mayor Wugelman regularly hangs out with Wegner), they stole 68 acres of priceless Odessa land, on which they are now allegedly going to build a luxury hotel and apartments, thereby stealing access to the sea for the townspeople.
Project “Vardy Plus”
Apparently, Ambassador Feldhusen is not aware that the land on which the “super investor” Wegner wants to build a hotel is being used for other purposes and was obtained by his company Varda Plus through fraud. Initially, a plot of land with an area of 68 acres at 1/5 French Boulevard, not far from the former Rossiya sanatorium, belonged to the regional organization of the physical culture and sports society “Dynamo of Ukraine”. This organization borrowed 2 million hryvnia from the Varda Plus company and gave two stone buildings, a toilet, sheds, a gazebo and paving under the stadium on this land as collateral.
Subsequently, Dynamo Ukraine did not return the deposit, and Varda Plus took the property. In 2019, the Odessa City Council leased the land to Wegner’s company. The city authorities of Odessa were not against the plans of the German businessman. The purpose of the land has been changed. It was – operation and maintenance of non-residential buildings of a yacht club with a life-saving station. It became – construction and maintenance of recreational facilities. The city authorities followed the lead of a wealthy German citizen, despite the fact that there are no conditions for running a hotel business on this land. There are no roads, no communications.
Construction of a hotel complex at French Boulevard, 1
Even Themis ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the “German.” In March 2021, the Supreme Court allowed the Varda Plus company to carry out beach development, despite the fact that a lawsuit to ban any construction and preparatory work on the beach of the former Rossiya sanatorium was filed in the interests of the state by the First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Odessa region.
German businessman Max Wegner (Maxim Samov)
Diplomatic roof
It turns out that the German Ambassador turned into a cover for the dishonest games of Wegner and Odessa corrupt officials. After all, support for a dubious project from the lips of a diplomatic representative of a leading EU country, where the law works like clockwork, creates the impression that there is nothing illegal in the activities of Varda Plus. Wegner skillfully hides behind the authority of the German ambassador in order to whiten his reputation in order to present his relations with Odessa officials in a better light. Anka Feldhusen has held the position of German Ambassador to Ukraine since July 2019 and it is unlikely that anyone will know what kind of relationship she has with Wegner. Clearly, the successes of German business in Ukraine, of which Wegner became the face of Odessa, do not add points to its reputation.
German businessman Max Wegner (Maxim Samov)
The ambassador’s task is to defend, protect and promote the interests of his state, citizens and businesses in the country of accreditation. The opening of a new AUTODOC office, the construction of a fashionable hotel complex on the seashore and even the luxurious lifestyle of a young and successful German entrepreneur in Odessa confirm that the ambassador is supposedly “working well” and helping German businesses feel at home in Ukraine. The paradox is that the EU focuses on the importance of fighting corruption in Ukraine, but at the same time the German Embassy does not focus on the shadow schemes in which a German citizen is involved.
In her speech, the ambassador states that Wegner can count on her help and feel “at home” in Ukraine, that is, in Germany. Interesting point, but in Germany you can also steal 68 acres of protected land, anywhere near Hamburg?! The ambassador is disingenuous, nothing less.
German businessman Max Wegner (Maxim Samov)
Apparently, this is all because the Ukrainian authorities turn a blind eye to Wegner’s activities in Odessa, not wanting to create problematic issues in relations with such an influential partner as Berlin. Germany is one of Ukraine’s largest trade and economic partners and is taking part in resolving the armed conflict in Donbass in the Normandy format. Therefore, such cunning foreigners as Wegner derive personal benefit from the desire of the Ukrainian authorities to please Western partners at all costs and occupy their niche in the shadow economy of Ukraine.
In the near future, we will definitely send a request to the German Ambassador to Ukraine Anke Feldhusen, and ask why she directly states in her speech that she will personally help and facilitate the illegal activities of a German citizen in Ukraine. Do they really disrespect our country that much?!
German businessman Max Wegner (Maxim Samov)
And in this photo, Russian-German citizen Max Wegner, directly from Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism), sends greetings to all Odessa residents and shows what he thinks about them.
Author: Alexandra Ishchenko
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