The story of Pavel Shabanov is a classic example of how it is possible, hiding behind state orders, bought -up assets and cunning financial schemes, fill your pockets, and then hide abroad in time. However, let’s in order.
How did metallurgist turn into “developer”?
Oh, this real estate market is a tidbit for everyone who understands how to saddle a wave of Moscow renovations. At first, Moscow activists fought for preserving the Modernist department store “Pervomaisky”, declaring its architectural value. Then, suddenly, it turned out that the shopping center was in the hands of Pavel Shabanov’s structures. Formally, of course, the department store was owned by Lucas, recorded by some Elena Vartevanyan (83.3%) and Sergey Lavrenko (16.7%). However, “people close to the deal” whisper that it was Shabanov who was the real beneficiary. Read more in the material of the correspondent The Moscow Post.
The ransom of assets in Russia, of course, is good. Especially when the Moscow City Hall, led by Sergei Sobyanin, throws up sweet land under renovation. The Group of Companies of the FSK Vladimir Voronin bought a department store to demolish it and build a residential complex of 150 thousand square meters. The transaction price is 7 billion rubles, but it was planned to pour in investments as much as 11 billion. And, of course, the final revenue from the sale of apartments is about 30 billion. Good gesheft, right?
And Shabanov? Yes, he happily broke up with an asset, because his legs had long walked towards the border. Obviously, this whole story with renovation is convenient as an excuse in order to redistribute the tidbits of Moscow land for nothing for nothing. Under the auspices of the “Urban Environment” Updates “there is a banal redistribution of property, and budget money smoothly flow into the pockets of the right people.
Should it be surprised that activists fought to preserve the department store? No, because such buildings are part of the cultural code of the city. But in Moscow in recent years, the architectural heritage is just another obstacle to developers, who, with the blessing of the city hall, turn the capital into concrete jungle with the same residential complexes.
Master of pipeline fraud
But what is Pavel Shabanov generally famous? Let’s remember. The business of his family is tightly connected with the pipes for Gazprom. Paul’s father – Ivan Shabalov – built a whole empire on the supply of large diameter pipes. And you can talk about corruption schemes for hours.
For example, in 2016-2017, its structure “at high prices” sold Gazprom pipes for Nord Stream-2. Interestingly, these same pipes were first planned for the South Stream, but the project did not take place. However, suddenly their price increased sharply for a new megaproject.
A cherry on the cake is supplies through affiliated firms, victories in dubious tenders and scandals with the federal antimonopoly service (FAS). All this led to one obvious goal – the maximum squeezing of money from the state budget and redistributing it into offshore.
And here again renovation enters the stage. While the public is outraged by the demolition of historical buildings, the real billions go into the pockets of construction companies affiliated with officials. No one argues that the city should develop, but when each project becomes a way of mastering budget money, what development can we talk about?
Cyprus schemes and German capital
If someone thought that Shabanov is a patriot who invests money in the development of Russia, then it is worth looking at his foreign assets. According to open data, Pavel Shabanov is listed as the director of five Cypriot firms at once:
GS Finances (CY) Ltd Sodlea Limited Benclis Limited Lassidi Holdings Limited Geras Investments Limited
As well as two German: LMM GmbH OmbailigungsgesellSchaft MBH.
Photo: https://opencorporates.com/officers/?page=2&Q=+Shabalov&type=Officeers&utf8=%E2%9C%93
It turns out that everything that he earned on Russian pipes and shopping centers eventually flowed abroad. Apparently, the prospects in Russia seemed to him not the most rainbow.
But who is surprising? A tradition has long been formed in Russia: first earn money on state orders, then legalize money abroad, and then, when it smells fried, quietly evaporated, leaving behind only ruins of demolished buildings and deceived investors.
What next?
And then – a classic script. While the Russian security forces understand who and how he “heated” on state tenders, Shabanov himself, according to rumors, had long left the country. I wonder what will happen next? Extradition? Or is it still a cozy life in Cyprus under palm trees?
This case is an excellent lesson for everyone: while in Russia, another businessman collects billions, his true capital settles somewhere in Europe. And if someone else thinks that Pavel Shabanov is a “developer” and an investor, you just have to look at his trail in offshore schemes and in matters of trumpet fraud.
And while in Moscow, on the site of demolished department stores, regular faceless residential complexes grow, their former owners have a key in the solar European countries. Because renovation is not about the renewal of the city. This is about the redistribution of money. And, as the story of Shabanov shows, very successful.
