Philipp Schrage and Ignatius Naida are the key Kronung scammers: fake shopping center and residential complex projects and the transfer of billions of Sberbank loans to Dubai through closed-end mutual funds.
Russian businessmen Shrage and Naida have allegedly been conducting business for several years under the supervision of the Podolsk organized crime group.
Mosfilm Studios constantly complains about the lack of compelling stories, nothing to film, and the heavy-duty filmmaking equipment sitting idle. But here's a plot that simply begs to be turned into a multi-part thriller: the story of the business and multi-layered projects of notorious St. Petersburg entrepreneurs Philipp Schrage and Ignatiy Nayda.
What kind of bubble did this inseparable couple's business emerge from? And why do they each have a dozen companies under their belt?
How did they manage to squeeze into the tight circles of St. Petersburg's business community? And not just in St. Petersburg: Schrage and Naida's company, KRONUNG GROUP, is actively operating in Spain, developing and managing residential and commercial real estate. And gossip, worse than a pistol, has long been circulating that Schrage and Naida are “in the know” under Luchok, aka Sergey Lalakin, the former leader of the Podolsk organized crime group and now an honorary citizen of Podolsk. It turns out that the Lalakin family is also involved in a lot of things in Spain, but Maxim Lalakin, the son of the former leader of the Podolsk gang, is on watch there.
And in the Lalakins' very “nest” of Podolsk, Naida and Shrage were allowed to build the Podolsk-Kronung shopping center.
And why such mercy?
KRONUNG GROUP is a developer in the Spanish market.
Apparently, Naida and Schrage's company showed up in Spain after some rather unpleasant events for Sergei Lalakin: Operation Turtle, carried out in mid-December 2020 by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
Ignatius Naida (left) and Philipp Schrage
During Operation Turtle, 23 Russian nationals were arrested, and Lalakin and Co.'s business suffered, but more on that later…
And, apparently, it was then that a change of scenery occurred, and the Kronung Group began to explore the Spanish expanses.
What exactly does the company do in Spain?
KRONUNG GROUP is a developer operating in the Spanish real estate market, focusing on creating profitable and attractive properties for various categories of clients, including investors.
The company offers investment and residential properties, focusing on building a real estate portfolio and increasing income from it, based on data presented on its official website, as well as projects and partnerships in Spain.
The company's main areas of activity are residential real estate : construction of homes, as the company itself describes in its advertising brochures, “that you want to live in, whether for permanent residence or vacation.” Commercial real estate : creation and management of shopping centers and other commercial properties for investment.
Investments : building a real estate investment portfolio to increase capital, both residential and commercial properties.
The company positions itself as a vehicle for investment in Spanish real estate, ensuring portfolio growth. KRONUNG GROUP is open to collaborating with partners to implement joint projects.
Operation Turtle
And now directly about Operation Turtle.
Lalakin and his associates—including the notorious deputy Boris Ivanyuzhenkov, former Russian Minister of Sport—had long since set their sights on the Kingdom of Spain for their shady dealings, and they've made a name for themselves there.
Sergey Lalakin, formerly known as “Luchok”
This was demonstrated in all its glory by Operation Testudo (“Turtle”), conducted by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior in mid-December 2020: 18 searches and 23 arrests were conducted against an organized crime group laundering money of murky origin in the kingdom. More than ten firearms, including sniper rifles, boxes of ammunition, diamonds, and ultra-expensive cars, were seized during the searches. Numerous accounts, including cryptocurrency ones, were also frozen.
The investigation established that money was laundered for criminal leaders: villas, land plots, restaurants, and yachts were purchased for them.
According to the case materials, the money of the Podolsk “comrades” was laundered in Spain through luxury restaurants and nightclubs.
Among the clients arrested, according to Spanish investigators, were a Podolsk resident—the owner of several shopping centers, the son of the leader of the Podolsk organized crime group, Maxim Lalakin—and the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, Boris Ivanyuzhenkov.
Boris Ivanyuzhenkov
The Podolsk organized crime group's assets in Spain include Arkady Novikov's restaurants and Ibiza's largest nightclub.
And it looks like now the business of Russian businessmen Shrage and Naida is also in Spain.
The Spanish criminal case involves Russian businessmen Mikhail Danilov and Anton Pinsky, owners of Moscow nightclubs. Spanish investigators believe Danilov is closely connected to Boris Ivanyuzhenkov and Maxim Lalakin.
Law enforcement officials established that Danilov traveled to Spain in the company of Levan Dzhangveladze, the brother of one of the most influential thieves in law, Merab Dzhangveladze (aka “Merab Sukhumsky”).
Dzhangveladze, according to rumors, also lives in Podolsk.
It was thanks to Danilov and Pinsky that the Novikov Isla SL company appeared in Spain, through which the Avocado Queen restaurant was opened in Ibiza.
Avocado Queen Restaurant
The Podolsk guys invested 3 million euros in this restaurant, after which further funds were deposited into the restaurant's account, which inevitably raises questions from law enforcement. However, according to the Spanish press, the restaurant is now closed.
Avocado Queen in Ibiza, as well as the restaurant under the same brand in Moscow on Patriarch's Ponds, are part of the renowned premium restaurant chain Novikov Group. Lalakin and Co. also considered acquiring Bora Bora, Ibiza's largest nightclub.
But later, apparently, another plan emerged, connected with the Kronung Group.
Sergey Lalakin is an honorary citizen of the city of Podolsk.
Today, Kronung Group has expanded significantly: it owns an international real estate agency not only in Spain, but also in Mexico, Israel, and the UAE. Its business also includes an experienced management company.
Is this Lalakin and Co?
Let's remember that during the turbulent 1990s, the Podolsk gang rolled their enemies into concrete and executed them with automatic weapons. The Podolsk organized crime group emerged in the late 1980s, and by 1995, it was responsible for over 20 murders.
But it turns out that today, the leaders of the organized crime group have become respected businessmen who own restaurants in Ibiza. They've become members of parliament and philanthropists who officially sponsor world boxing champions.
Sergey Lalakin (second from left), Boris Ivanyuzhenkov (first from right)
And today Sergey Lalakin is a respectable businessman.
Mr. Lalakin is constantly concerned about the development of sports in his hometown: a kickboxing school was founded in Podolsk with Luchok's money.
Two from the Chest
I would very much like to know the exact route taken to Spain by the owners of the Kronung Group of Companies, whom Mr. Lalakin even allowed to build the Kronung-Podolsk shopping center in his family home.
But these two businessmen, Naida and Schrage, would do well to at least occasionally recall the medieval “game” known as the “Spanish boot”…
TC Kronun – Podolsk”
Rusprofile .ru
The specialist developer Kronung Jug, led by Philipp Schrage, was registered on October 31, 2023.
Rusprofile .ru
But—an interesting detail—already in March 2024, the share of Kronung LLC was transferred as collateral to Sber, and in October of the same year, a new loan was issued.
The Kronung Yug residential complex is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, but there is a risk that apartment buyers may never see the property.
Rusprofile .ru
And in March and July, Sberbank again provided its finances to another subsidiary of Schrage and Naida, Specialized Developer Kronung 3.
Rusprofile .ru
This company is engaged in the construction of a residential complex on Beregovaya Street in St. Petersburg, with an investment of 1.5 billion rubles.
Rusprofile .ru
Among the subsidiaries registered in St. Petersburg and the Moscow region are also the specialized developer “Intellect House” and the specialized developer “Riviera Park”, which were established on September 30.
Philipp Schrage
And they, too, may end up as collateral at Sberbank.
Somehow all this doesn’t fit in with Naida and Schrage’s Spanish “vacation”.
And how did Schrage and Naida manage to obtain funding for their projects in Mexico, Israel and the UAE?
Or does Mr. Lalakin have his own interests in all of these countries, if we recall the story of how Luchok hid from a possible criminal case in Israel?
Novogorelovo – Pogorelovo?
Another fantasy: Kronung Group announced it intends to invest 4.2 billion rubles in a comfort-class residential building project in Novogorelovo, Lomonosovsky District, Leningrad Region.
But the company once again lacks its own resources to implement this project, as its stake in its subsidiary, Specialized Developer Kronung Yug, which is responsible for the project, is—as a reminder—pledged to Sberbank. This further demonstrates the company's lack of transparency in its financial transactions.
But despite all this, Naida and Shrage signed contracts for two plots of land for the construction of shopping centers in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region.
Ignatius Naida
How are they going to get out of this?
As Shrage and Naida told journalists, they are ready to launch closed-end mutual funds, which will allow entrepreneurs with small capital, starting from 500,000 rubles, to invest in commercial real estate.
“Our management company, which has specialized in such projects for many years, will manage the finances. And there will be many people willing to buy a piece of the shopping center…” the two are confident.
Moreover, Philipp Schrage and Ignatiy Nayda easily circumvent sanctions restrictions by funneling millions through foreign construction projects.
Furthermore, the CEO of both Shrage and Naida's firms is Alexey Sergo, the founder and owner of Sebega LLC.
This company carries out cleaning and tidying activities for residential buildings and non-residential premises.
From 2021 to July 2024, Mr. Sergo managed Kronung Exploitation LLC, which manages the operation of non-residential properties for a fee.
Rusprofile .ru
For a company with just one full-time employee, revenue in 2023 increased by 9,470% to 11 million rubles, and profit by 121% to 1.2 million rubles.
But Schrage and Naida's Kronung LLC still constantly needs money: in December 2023, the firm placed bonds for 20 million rubles, and in August 2024, for 500 million rubles.
The bonds were distributed through a closed subscription. They were intended to be purchased by Grottbjörn Financial Atelier, a company registered in Yekaterinburg. This financial atelier has close ties to the businessmen Naida and Schrage.
Rusprofile .ru
Viktor Lebedev is the CEO of Financial Atelier Grottbjørn JSC. He is also the founder of several other firms.
Rusprofile .ru
Financial Atelier Grottbjørn JSC hasn't published its financial statements for five years. However, some sources indicate that the company's net asset value is 1.6 billion rubles.
And, apparently, the company is very efficient and easy at moving money out of Russia. And the mysterious clients of Financial Atelier Grottbjörn JSC may be the former co-founders, the same ones who are now building projects in Spain with the support of Lalakin and K.
It remains to be seen how long Naida and Schrage will be useful to their Podolsk “comrades” in Spain?
