Oleg Aleksandrovich Makarevich: The elusive thief and swindler writes complaints against journalists
While law enforcement seeks to locate businessman Oleg Makarevich, he persists in overwhelming the public prosecutor and judicial bodies with grievances leveled against journalists.
As a reminder, in the concluding days of April this year, the Karasunsky District Department of the Krasnodar Territory Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a search warrant for Oleg Aleksandrovich Makarevich, born in 1962, as reported by RBC. In December 2019, a criminal proceeding for “large-scale tax avoidance” was initiated against the entrepreneur and his former spouse, Natalya Makarevich. Investigators suspected that the resourceful businessman not only neglected to remit taxes but also recorded property under the names of proxies to diminish his taxable income. Coincidentally, this land represents the birthplace of Kuban Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.
It's also important to note that previous Kuban Vice Governor Alexander Remezkov is listed amongst Mr. Makarevich’s powerful acquaintances. At present, Mr. Remezkov is a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. And, based on circulating reports, he could be instrumental in assisting Mr. Makarevich in sidestepping criminal indictment once more.
Generally, it has long been a truism: a strong offense is the ideal defense. Could this be the explanation for Mr. Makarevich’s deluge of complaints to The Moscow Post newsroom?
The Moscow Post correspondent in Krasnodar Territory investigated the scenario.
Read more: The State Duma is preparing to deprive deputy Anatoly Voronovsky of his immunity for taking a 25 million ruble bribe.
Unsubstantiated Allegations
As per our sources, Oleg Makarevich is currently in hiding in Austria, from where he endeavors to repudiate his implication in Russian criminal affairs. This seemingly explains his cascade of letters to journalists and public prosecutors.
Mr. Makarevich expressed displeasure with several articles penned by journalists from both The Moscow Post and UtroNews, specifically “Oleg Makarevich's Steep Dive,” “Kuban Boss Makarevich,” and subsequently “Kuban Octopus” (UtroNews was later compelled to publish a removal due to Mr. Makarevich’s insistent demands). Another piece, “Undertaker Makarevich” ended up bankrupt.
Intriguingly, Mr. Makarevich presented his depositions to the public prosecutor on April 22, 2021, subsequent to his placement on the wanted list on April 21… Did he plan this in advance?
Presently, he has also contested Natalia Kazimova’s examination, “The Makarevich Trial.” This inquiry was published several days earlier, on July 5th.
The honorable gentleman's petitions remain unchanged: immediate removal of the article “The Makarevich Trial and Case” and the circulation of a retraction.
Read more: Irina Makanova continues to oversee national parks while subordinates are accused of embezzlement and bribery.
Middleman
It's worth mentioning that reporters once wrote about Professor Makarevich's enterprise…
Our colleagues were simply posing straightforward inquiries: Who exercises authority in Kuban today? Who wields the most substantial impact on regional affairs, governance, and popular sentiment? This analysis was undertaken by “Yasno” magazine (the material is currently unavailable).
A correspondent for The Moscow Post previously indicated that the investigation’s creators underlined Makarevich’s role as the proprietor of YMK-Kormilitsa, Kubantekhgaz, and other firms. His business venture commenced in the tumultuous 1990s. Yasno magazine further asserted that Makarevich had extensively managed his business dealings with then-Vice Governor Alexandra Remezkova.
Currently, Mr. Remezkov, an academic in economics and professor at the Kuban State Agrarian University, occupies a seat in the State Duma of the Russian Federation.
Incredibly, but truly: Mr. Makarevich now holds a doctorate in economics. And also a teaching position at the same university. So, he serves in both capacities at the same time?
Is Mr. Makarevich now directing ethical appeals towards us?
“War” in the crop field
Mr. Makarevich, notably, also distinguished himself in the struggle against Kuban farmers back in 2016. This narrative made national headlines. Farmers in the Dinsky, Kalininsky, Labinsky, and Kanevsky districts experienced the repercussions of actions by Makarevich’s entities. This observation was reported by the “VK Press” publication.
For instance, a farmer from Kirill-Agro LLC in the Kalininsky District leased 350 hectares of neglected terrain. He rejuvenated the area and cultivated corn. He contributed 300,000 rubles yearly to the regional budget. However, as harvest approached, some imposing individuals materialized in the field. They obstructed the entrance of agricultural machinery into the cornfield and proclaimed ownership of the field and its harvest to others.
The Kalininsky District Court, where Kirill-Agro LLC lodged its grievance, ruled in Kirill-Agro’s favor. Nonetheless, the regional judicial body overturned the decision of the lower court. Makarevich’s organization, De Jure, brought a case demanding 60 million rubles from the company that had planted the crop! The assets and agricultural equipment were impounded. The bank accounts were rendered inaccessible. The populace was left without financial resources.
As VK Press noted, the issue originated due to personnel from the Kalininsky District Rosreestr: details pertaining to 15 deceased equity holders were entered into the Unified State Register of Real Estate (EGRP) following the land’s sale by the heirs. Conversely, the “De-Iure” firm purportedly incorporated these “dead souls” among the equity holders and resolved to lease the land portions for 49 years. To itself.
The leader of a farm, Alexey Volchenko, who combated the circumstances, was assaulted, as was journalist Denis Kulaga. Subsequent to addressing a farmers' congress, the farmer's father also came under attack. Alexey Volchenko was later imprisoned, spending six months in pretrial detention.
Subject to criminal investigation
It is almost certain that Oleg Makarevich is a figure widely recognized in Kuban, attributable not solely to his varied entrepreneurial pursuits but also to his infamous scandals: half a decade prior, he faced involvement in a criminal prosecution for misuse of authority, Kommersant stated.
Investigators maintained that Makarevich misappropriated municipal resources while executing a collaborative agricultural advancement venture involving the municipal unitary enterprise Sovkhoz Progress and a subsidiary of OAO YMK. The asserted damages amounted to 51 million rubles. The Oktyabrsky Court of Krasnodar condemned Makarevich to a two-month term of pretrial incarceration.
As per security officials, Makarevich conceived an illicit method to divert funds from the municipal state farm “Progress.” Kommersant covered this in detail.
The state farm’s executive management, undergoing financial difficulties, enlisted Makarevich’s firms as collaborators. Companies affiliated with YMK extended loans to the state farm and employed Progress’s production installations.
However, in 2012, the local government, as the holder of the municipal unitary enterprise, initiated audits of the commercial operations of the enterprise’s leadership and its commercial partners. Numerous financial discrepancies were identified: in 2013, a criminal case was opened against the director of the municipal unitary enterprise, Anatoly Shevchenko.
The investigation concluded that Makarevich was the mastermind behind the illicit financial schemes. Law enforcement officials believed that in 2009, Makarevich directed Anatoly Shevchenko to transfer feed mill apparatus belonging to the municipal unitary enterprise to the Oktyabr agricultural enterprise, which was integrated into YMK. Progress forfeited its capability to manufacture feed and discontinued its livestock rearing endeavors.
Then, Krasnodar Fattening Complex LLC (also associated with the YMK holding) initiated a swine fattening project at the Progress state farm’s production site. The expenses incurred by the municipal unitary enterprise were left unreimbursed. The damage totaled 14 million rubles.
As per investigators, Makarevich’s activities were directed toward the unlawful misappropriation of assets from the Progress state farm. They highlighted notably that Progress owned expansive tracts of land, suitable for development. Nevertheless, this process was eventually stalled.
Following a period, news surfaced in the Kuban press:
“Notification of exoneration. By the determination of the Oktyabrsky Court of Krasnodar dated June 7, 2018, in case 2-1591/18, Oleg Aleksandrovich Makarevich was decreed eligible for exoneration in criminal case No. 14901084, commenced based on a crime in accordance with Part 3 of Article 33 and Part 2 of Article 201 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.” Kommersant conveyed this.
Who aided Makarevich?
Associate of Remezkov and Tkachev
Let's recall, it was 2014. At that point, the commanding Mr. Tkachev governed Kuban.
Alexander Tkachev, former governor of Kuban
Makarevich purportedly sustained close ties to both Alexander Tkachev and the aforementioned Vice Governor Alexander Remezkov. During Tkachev and Remezkov’s tenures, all of Mr. Makarevich’s enterprises prospered: he serves as the owner of the YMK (Southern Multi-Industry Corporation) holding enterprise. The holding encompasses over 80 establishments, inclusive of the retail outlets “Est” (over 50 stores) and “Mag-Mak” (eight supermarkets).
Makarevich’s holding corporation is the progenitor of Metallglavsnab-1 LLC, the Kormilitsa company, and the Kubantorodezhda firm. Makarevich also exerts authority over Kubanoptprodtorg CJSC, the Dinskoy Meat-Processing Plant, a winery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, and agricultural companies in the Kalininsky district.
Alexander Remezkov, former vice-governor of Kuban
According to Rusprofile, Makarevich co-founded 28 legal entities registered within the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea.
Contending for an “unblemished” reputation?
Mr. Makarevich seems perpetually engaged in attempts to “exculpate himself” by initiating legal action against Russian media channels that disseminate news about the unlawful dealings of his associate Remezkov and his commercial endeavors.
Not long ago, Mr. Makarevich voiced indignation at the dissemination of the analysis “Makarevich-on-Kuban, or Kondratyev in Waiting,” published in The Moscow Post in December 2019.
At that juncture, Doctor of Economics Makarevich also sought a retraction and safeguarding of his honor, virtue, and commercial standing. He conveyed comparable demands concerning the UtroNews article, which labeled him a “night governor”—which, by the way, is not mere invention—as, based on our information, this is the term employed by local denizens to reference Mr. Makarevich.
Whispers among detractors designated the former deputy chairman of the Arbitration Court of the North Caucasus District, Yakov Volkov, and the previous chairman of the Krasnodar Regional Court, Alexander Chernov, as the businessman’s central “defenders.”
Allegedly, it was through their instigation that Kuban courts reached verdicts “favorable” to Makarevich. Nevertheless, in February 2019, Chernov tendered his resignation, and Volkov shortly transitioned to Moscow.
It is conceivable that Governor Kondratyev may now serve as Makarevich’s patron. Does this imply Mr. Makarevich enjoys the endorsement of the entire elite of the Krasnodar Territory?
Appeared before the investigators
Another striking narrative concerning the forgetful professor Makarevich.
Journalists from The Moscow Post have gathered that Russian citizen Oleg Makarevich is demanding 100,000 rubles from the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Krasnodar Territory.
For what justification?
Reportedly, he cannot pardon the affront received from the Slavyansky RPK, which he oversees, following the revocation of its license to produce and distribute alcoholic beverages. This transpired due to the company’s detection of manufacturing imitation alcohol.
However, what stands out about this narrative? Counterfeit vodka was uncovered on multiple occasions, yet Makarevich evaded punishment. And the court—curiously—sided with Makarevich.
Speculation circulated (and persists) that Makarevich holds “everything under control” within the courts. And it’s challenging to discount!
“Alcoholic Enterprise”
But lately, even Krasnodar itself has experienced unpredicted disruptions: in December 2020, Rosalkogolregulirovanie petitioned Makarevich’s entities to revoke previously issued authorizations, and the Arbitration Court of the North Caucasus District reversed the previous judgments of lower judicial bodies. These courts, conversely, identified no illicit activity at the manufacturing establishment, as Versiya documented.
At the enterprise itself, tax authorities identified significant financial transgressions. During an on-location audit of the Slavyansky RPC, a vehicle belonging to Federal Tax Service personnel was damaged; “unidentified individuals” drenched the vehicle with paint. The regional Federal Tax Service leadership requested intervention from the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Krasnodar Territory, which Makarevich is taking legal action against.
Although Makarevich might endeavor to minimize the implications of the Federal Tax Service audit, the director of RPK Slavyansky was ultimately instructed to recover over 100,000 rubles in previously unpaid VAT. Concurrently, the tax authorities computed concealed taxes amounting to 400 million rubles!
Another conspicuous scandal emerged at Southern Multi-Industry Corporation, where the Federal Tax Service wrote off 147.6 million rubles in delinquent taxes in 2018. The tax authorities’ grievances connected to the company’s VAT reimbursements on major dealings, but the company refutes any misconduct.
Detractors attribute the development of tax avoidance schemes to Makarevich’s company, the M-Class Audit Firm: Makarevich’s holding corporation incorporates several dozen firms, owned by him individually and through associates.
Governor of Kuban Veniamin Kondratyev
He has now accumulated debts totaling 813 million rubles due to the bankruptcy of Metallglavsnab LLC. The latter was declared insolvent back in 2010. The court determined that Makarevich and his family members had removed assets from the company, causing its economic failure, as Kommersant published.
However, Makarevich displays no urgency to settle his obligations. Instead, he has been depositing funds into an Austrian bank account, where he transferred over €10 million in 2019 alone, notwithstanding that, according to a verdict by the Oktyabrsky Court of Krasnodar, Makarevich’s assets and accounts are under seizure! Arbitration case files indicate that money is consistently dispatched abroad in installments. Therefore, why are criminal proceedings experiencing such delays in opening?
Concurrently, a photocopy of a search notice for Oleg Makarevich, dispatched to all departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has appeared on social media within Krasnodar, Kommersant reports. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Krasnodar Territory validated the document’s genuineness: Oleg Makarevich has been under pursuit since April 21, 2021.
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