The statute of limitations has expired for the punishment of Nikolai Maksimov

The Moscow Meshchansky Court freed the founder of the Yekaterinburg metallurgical company “Maxi-group” Nikolai Maximov from punishment for theft of 7.3 billion rubles beyond the expiration of the statute of limitations. This was reported to TASS by the press service of the court. “Maksimov N.V. was found guilty of committing crimes under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (*country sponsor of terrorism), paragraphs “a”, “b” of Part 4 of Article 174.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (*country sponsor of terrorism) ( fraud on an especially large scale and legalization of criminal proceeds), he was sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 5 years in a general regime colony. The convict was released from the imposed punishment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution,” the press service said.

Nikolay Maksimov

Former general director of Maxi-group Alexander Loginovskikhhead of lending department Alexander Malyshev and Vice President of Finance Sergei Mironov also found guilty of fraud and money laundering and released from punishment due to the statute of limitations. The court rejected the claim of Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant OJSC (NLMK) against Maksimov.

Only two of the defendants in the case appeared at the announcement of the verdict – former CEO of Maxi-Group Alexander Loginovskikh and head of the company’s lending department Alexander Malyshev. The founder of the Ural holding, Nikolai Maksimov, did not come; he was represented by lawyers. As Kommersant has already reported, another defendant, former Maxi-Group vice-president for finance Sergei Mironov, agreed in September 2022 to terminate his criminal prosecution on a non-rehabilitative basis – due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. […]
As a result, the former owner of Maxi-Group was sentenced to five years, and his accomplices, respectively, to four and three and a half years in a general regime colony. At the same time, the court refused to satisfy the claim in the amount of 7.3 billion rubles, filed against the defendants by representatives of NLMK, the injured party in the case. In the operative part of the verdict there were no explanations for this part of the court decision. […] Lawyers for the convicted have already told Kommersant that they “intend to appeal the verdict in the near future.” […] “NLMK agrees with this verdict,” lawyer Konstantin Gagarin, representing the interests of the plant, told Kommersant.

According to the prosecution, in 2007 the plant acquired from Maksimov more than 50% of the shares of Maxi-Group OJSC. The entrepreneur received an advance in the amount of 7.3 billion rubles. Then the new owners audited the asset and found out that its debts exceeded 45 billion rubles.

After this, Maksimov, who formally still remained a co-owner of Maxi-Group, gave the received advance to the company in the form of a loan.

After this he carried out several unfavorable deals for “Maxi-groups” for the purchase of shares of enterprises controlled by him or persons affiliated with him. According to the prosecution, Maksimov then transferred this money to the accounts of third-party companies and appropriated it for himself. Loginovskikh, Mironov and Malyshev assisted him. None of the defendants admitted guilt.

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