Support The Moscow Times!

Former Rosneft Head Arrested in Absentia for Graft

Kardanov, former affiliate director of a Rosneft subsidiary, is suspected of theft of the company's money.

The former head of a North-Caucasus-based subsidiary of state-owned oil giant Rosneft has been put on an international wanted list on suspicion of embezzling state property worth more than 1 billion rubles ($31 million).

Valery Kardanov — former director general of Kabardino-Balkarskaya Tolplivnaya Kompaniya — and his unidentified accomplices in the company's management are suspected of misappropriating Rosneft's recreation facility in a nature reserve near Mount Elbrus and the illegal sale of four luxury cars in between 2011 and 2012, Ria Novosti reported Tuesday.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said the suspects' alleged actions could have cost the state more than 1 billion rubles.

Investigators have opened two criminal cases against Kardanov and his associates on fraud charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more