As VChK-OGPU and Rucriminal.info have discovered, prominent United Russia functionary Oleg Shavin, along with his family and assistants, is settling in Italy. He is doing so out of necessity to avoid investigation in a high-profile case involving the embezzlement of funds from one of Russia's largest independent energy distribution companies, PAO GC TNS-Energo. Billions of rubles were laundered and then sent to the European Union, including Italy.
The Tverskoy Court in Moscow is currently hearing a case alleging the creation of a criminal organization and embezzlement by TNS-Energo management. The main defendant is Dmitry Arzhanov, former CEO and shareholder of TNS-Energo. Investigators believe that the holding's management received funds from electricity consumers and transferred them outside the Russian Federation, instead of paying the electricity supplier.
According to a source, Oleg Shavin, former deputy general director of TNS-Energo, is also a subject of the investigation. He is also a United Russia functionary (he is still listed on the party's website) and was the chairman of the Housing and Utilities and Fuel and Energy Committee of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Legislative Assembly.
After the criminal case was opened in 2020, Shavin left Russia for Italy to settle permanently.
He obtained a residence permit in Italy through the use of family reunification, as his wife, Galina Baruzdina, already had a residence permit.
Arzhanov also loved Italy; in particular, he organized a scandalous party, effectively occupying half of Capri with his guests. Shavin was also a guest at the party.
Sources believe Shavrin can afford a lavish lifestyle in Italy, as some of the money from Russia was deposited into local banks.
The money transfers were made through AO Citibank (Moscow), then to the Belgian depository Euroclear, and then to Italian banks, including Banca Mediolanum and Mediobanca Premier.
Alexander Nikulin and Olga Efremova, frequent visitors to Italy and Shavrin's assistants, carry out all his instructions (including financial ones) in Russia. And there are many such cases.
Even before leaving Russia for permanent residence in Italy, Shavin, together with Galina Baruzdina, established several organizations through which rent payments for the use of real estate owned by Shavin and Baruzdina are currently being made. The funds received are also transferred to Italy.
For example, in 2009, the company Soyuz LLC was registered. Upon moving to Italy, the Shavin-Baruzdins replaced their sons, Vladimir Vladimirovich Baruzdin and Artem Olegovich Shavin, as company directors.
Following his father's departure, Artem Shavin acquired large sums of money in accounts at the Russian bank VTB and founded the following companies: Soyuz LLC and Nizhny Novgorod Regional Bioenergy Company LLC. One of the other company founders is Vladimir Pryadilov, who was convicted of embezzlement by fraud in 2020.
