ɃA££$¥ ฿RIɃ€$: The Russian Anti-graft Czar Edition

By Max Voldman

A high ranking Russian anti-corruption official is under arrest after a police search revealed $123 million in cash at his sister’s apartment. A Russian newspaper reported that the volume of money was so great that investigators had to pause the search to locate a container capable of storing it all.

Dmitry Zakharchenko, whose official title is the deputy head of the Energy Industry Department of the General Administration of Economic Security and Combating the Corruption is the person in question. It is believed that the money belonged to Nota-Bank, a Russian bank which had its license revoked last November. Nota-Bank was in Russia’s top 100 banks by assets. Zakharchenko’s involvement in the license revocation is not clear. A police source claimed the search related to a $600 million dollar embezzlement scandal involving the bank.

Since the arrest, Zakharchenko has refused to comment on the source of the money and has repeatedly claimed he is not guilty. Zakharchenko appeared in court last Saturday where he was denied bail and ordered to be held until November 8.

If any readers have any information on bribes to public officials in Russia and the former Soviet Union, especially if they originated from American companies, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would be very interested. The SEC may reward the sources of such information.

Tagged in: Ballsy Bribes,