The Hermitage has exposed the damage
At the request of the Museum accused the former Deputy Minister of culture.
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As it became known “Kommersant”, the State Hermitage Museum, has estimated the damage from the actions of the head of the group of companies “Rospan” Nikita Kolesnikov, who was a contractor for the construction of the public library building the Museum as part of a major new facility, of 860 million rubles. a statement about the fraud was directed at SKR (Investigative Committee of Russia) in the beginning of this week, and yesterday detained Kolesnikov, the former Deputy Minister of culture Gregory Pirumov whom the consequence considers as the organizer of the fraud, was formally charged with embezzlement. It turned out that part of the funds stolen from the Hermitage Museum, the accused used at the cosmonautics Museum in Kaluga. Theft out of steel episode of the first investigation against Mr. Pirumov and Kolesnikov, during which they avoided the real time. Today repeat offenders in criminal cases related to cultural heritage arrested by the Basmanny district court.
The contract of the State Hermitage Museum with “Mekhstroytrans” under the control of Nikita Kolesnikov, totaling 3,667 billion rubles was signed in December 2015, according to the results conducted by the Museum auction. According to sources, “b”, obtaining such a large contract in the St. Petersburg market of “cultural construction” of this Moscow company was promoted by the leaders of the Ministry of culture of the number of defendants in the previous “case of restorers” — Grigory Pirumov and head of the asset management Department and investment policy of the Ministry Boris Mazo. By the way, the market leader at that time was appearing in “the restorers”, the St. Petersburg company “Baltstroy”.
“Mekhstroytrans” pledged to build by the beginning of 2019, designed by world renowned Dutch architect, Pritzker prize winner REM Koolhaas 60-metre transparent cube with double facade, which had to accommodate the public library of the Hermitage, which was planned to transport about 1 million of stored books, with the exception of rare books and reference and working funds, as well as costume collection and research center fashion.
The most difficult architectural element was to be covered suspended gallery over the nearby railroad, organized on the principle of medieval trade bridges.
According to the website of public procurement, the Hermitage in July 2017 has terminated the contract unilaterally, thus the budget is actually “Mekhstroytrans” received 1,093 billion. FAS 3 August 2017 have contributed information about the contractor in the register of unfair suppliers.
As it turned out, no private resources for the construction of large-scale construction in St. Petersburg the contractor initially had. The Hermitage and paid the advance was immediately listed “Mekhstroytrans” in questionable contracts to companies, most of which were part of the same group “Rospan”.
In particular, RUB 600 million was actually controlled by Mr. Kolesnikov, OOO Gorizont company was the General contractor for the construction of the second stage of the Museum of cosmonautics. Tsiolkovsky in Kaluga. Funds for this construction were kidnapped in 2014-2015, and this episode became the first “work of restorers”. The volume is OOO “Horizon” works from the Hermitage project is estimated in 90 million rubles.
The real subcontractors engaged in the preparation of the pile field for the Hermitage, payment in full is not received initially. In total, according to the Hermitage, at the beginning of July 2017 was done on 14% of the total amount stipulated in the contract of work, with a lag from the approved schedule of works was about eight or nine months, which led to the failure of term of input of object in operation. Construction work on the facility was completely terminated in April 2017.
In the decision on the termination of the contract the Hermitage demanded the return of 856,5 million RUB undeveloped advance. The advance contract in the amount of about 917 million RUB was sanctioned by the Federal Treasury, which controlled all payments. But for half a year the contractor, according to “Kommersant”, performed preparatory work in the amount of about 270 million rubles., in fact, and do not start construction. To date, only part of the pile field, which was paid on the acts of the executed works.
Upon termination of the contract in 2017 established that the real work, at least in some way to create object was not conducted later than the summer of 2016. Any activity until spring of 2017 was aimed only at the creation of visibility in connection with the increased media attention to stop the works on site.
For example, I have accomplished a number of preparatory works required for ongoing activities. As security for the contract, the contractor submitted a Bank guarantee for 1,111 billion rubles issued by the First Czech-Russian Bank, which in 2016 was revoked license, and its leadership recently, it was announced on the international wanted list for embezzlement. The Hermitage is noted that in the framework of the contract of Bank guarantee the contractor has transferred a large sum to the Bank, which is already from January 2016, net assets, doing a cash withdrawal.
The situation on return budget billion complicates the bankruptcy “Mekhstroytrans”, in relation to which in January 2018, were entered bankruptcy proceedings. According to “Kommersant”, among the assets identified with the bankrupt has property, including land plots in other regions of the Russian Federation, as well as cars. In the Hermitage yesterday said that the Museum “has taken unprecedented measures to recover the advances unscrupulous contractor LLC “Mekhstroytrans. Usually, even if the bad faith of the contractor is obvious, budget institutions and organizations are rendered powerless for a unilateral termination of the contract, and then he can not get a refund of advance payments, said the Museum. But “despite fierce resistance by massive challenging all acts of the Hermitage and the delay by the contractor”, the Arbitration court of Moscow has recognized the Museum’s largest creditor with a claim amount of approximately 860 million RUB This status allowed the Hermitage to choose a liquidator — it was Ivan Yakovenko. “In the framework of bankruptcy proceedings received data confirming that the budgetary funds were distributed among the companies linked to Kolesnikov. Also was derived the property, being on balance OOO “Mekhstroytrans”, which could repay his debt to the Hermitage” — said representatives of the Museum, adding that “this information was brought to the creditors’ Committee a few days ago.” “Thus, the State Hermitage there was a clear information that the cash advance was kidnapped by fraud” — explained in the Museum. Observing the requirements of fiscal discipline, the Hermitage has addressed with the statement in SKR about excitation of theft advances using the company’s GC “Rospan” criminal case under part 4 of article 159 of the criminal code (fraud in especially large size a group of persons). Opened it, according to “Kommersant”, may 16.
In SKR have informed that on the same day, the investigators and the FSB officers, conducted searches in the homes and apartments of the gentlemen Pirumov and Kolesnikov, arrested both. Yesterday in SKR they were formally charged. In them, according to “Kommersant”, we are talking about cashing 450 million rubles of advance payments made to the alleged organizers of the fraud could divide between themselves.
Today, the investigation will address with the petition about the arrest in Basmanny district court. Lawyer Mr. Pirumov Fedor Kupriyanov declined to comment. Meanwhile, managing partner of Bureau “System protection” Vladislav Musiyaka said “Kommersant” that the firm’s lawyers provide legal assistance to another defendant in the investigation, a former official of the Ministry of culture Boris Mazo. According to counsel, his client while there is no procedural status. As it turned out, the former official is month treatment. However, as explained Vladislav Musiyaka, in the Moscow apartment of Mr. Mazo, a search was conducted, during which nothing was seized.
The very appearance of claims of the investigation to the masters Pirumova, Mazo and Kolesnikov defender is also tied to the contract between the Ministry of culture and the firm the latter. “There was a contract, had money and had a conflict about their spending,” said the defender, who believes that in this case “100 percent civil cause”, which shall be subject to consideration in arbitration court.
Recall that in the case of restorers untried Pirumov, Mazo and Kolesnikov avoided in real time. They fully admitted their guilt, to repay the damage in 100 million rbl., and standing before the court in a special order, received suspended sentences or, as Mr. Pirumov, served in jail.
Anna Pushkarsky, St.-Petersburg; Sergey Sergeev