Russian firm drives mobile billboard around London in hunt for fugitive’s assets
Written by News on 19/12/2019
A recovery firm is driving a mobile billboard around London asking for information about the whereabouts of a Russian fugitive’s assets.
Georgy Bedzhamov and Larisa Markus are alleged to have defrauded Russian retail bank Vneshprombank out of Rbs210bn (£2.5bn).
Ms Markus was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2017 after admitting to the theft of Rbs114bn (£1.4bn), and is awaiting trial on new charges filed in January.
A1, which describes its staff as the “the leading litigation and asset recovery experts in Russia”, has offered a financial reward for information about the siblings’ assets.
The recovery firm, owned by the oligarch Mikhail Fridman, was reportedly hired by Russia’s deposit insurance agency.
Their mobile billboard was spotted outside Harrods in Knightsbridge on Thursday and features a photograph of Ms Markus on the left and Mr Bedzhamov on the right.
The message reads: “Reward for information.
“Please contact A1 if you have any information regarding the assets of Vneshprombank’s former beneficiaries Georgy Bedzhamov and Larisa Markus.
“Financial reward offered for valuable information.”
Mr Bedzhamov, the former of head of Russia’s bobsleigh federation, reportedly fled Russia for Monaco in 2016 when Russia’s central bank discovered the £2.5bn hole in Vneshprombank’s balance sheet.
He is said to have escaped extradition to Russia after a personal intervention by the principality’s ruler Prince Albert, before relocating to London’s Mayfair.
The High Court in London reportedly granted a £1.34bn freezing order on his assets in April.
The ruling is said to have given claimants the ability to search a townhouse Mr Bedzhamov had used as an office.
He was also ordered not to leave England and Wales and not to spend more than £10,000 a week above the £35,000 he pays to rent a Mayfair penthouse, according to reports.
Mr Bedzhamov is said to have denied the criminal charges against him in Russia.
He reportedly still lives in homes in both London and Monaco.
(c) Sky News 2019: Russian firm drives mobile billboard around London in hunt for fugitive’s assets
