Criminal case on major fraud and money laundering in the Committee for Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg

2023

At the trial in the criminal case of the former CIO of St. Petersburg, the injured party and prosecution witnesses were interrogated

In St. Petersburg, the trial continues against the former head of the city committee for informatization and communications Ivan Gromov and his brother. At a meeting on November 30, a representative of the committee, recognized as the injured party, was interrogated. According to the St. Petersburg portal "ЗАКС.ру," questions were asked to the adviser to the chairman of the committee on informatization and communications Alexander Goncharov, who was previously an adviser to the chairman of the Statutory Court of St. Petersburg^[1].

KIS, St. Petersburg Information and Analytical Center, admitted the facts of signing subcontracts for the performance of work and the provision of services for the maintenance, development and operation of state information systems. Then, when concluding subcontracts with commercial organizations, this money was paid in full. At the same time, the preliminary investigation team found that in fact these services were not provided, - ЗАКС.ру quotes Goncharov.

The official did not name the exact amounts that could have been stolen from the budget in this way. Earlier it was reported that the total damage could be almost a quarter of a billion rubles.

And earlier in November, another St. Petersburg portal - Fontanka - reported on the testimony in court of witness Boris Petukhov, head of the control department of the administration of the governor of St. Petersburg. In court, the official said that for several years he tried to attract colleagues, but he was opposed by the "administrative resource"^[2].

In November, the consideration of the Gromov brothers in court entered an active phase "(photo:" ЗАКС.ру ")"

Boris Petukhov headed the control department in the field of property management of the control department in 2013, and before that he worked as an investigator for many years. Immediately after the control department appeared, and the informatization committee was transferred to its department, Petukhov began to check their contracts.

One of the contracts that raised questions concerned the provision of services for the maintenance and digitization of documents of the archival committee, concluded with Tesonero Computers for 61 million rubles.

There is a hard access mode, no one will pass from the street and will not come out. According to all reports, representatives of "Tesonero" never entered there, - said Petukhov.

According to the official, it followed from the documents on the execution of the contract that every day seven scanners were dismantled, configured and mounted again, in theory it was supposed to completely stop work.

When we started checking, we requested the archive committee, they gave information that the representatives of "Tesonero" did not perform any work.... In 2020, the committee refused to scan and translate into electronic form of documents - the work was transferred to the archive committee itself. Then the archive committee signed the contract itself - for the same money, the volume of work they had ten times more, - quotes Boris Petukhov "Fontanka."

At the next meeting, which will be held on December 7, they plan to continue the interrogation of witnesses.

They lived beyond their means. The prosecutor demands to seize property worth 469.8 million rubles from the ex-CIO of St. Petersburg and his brother

The Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg began to consider the claim of the prosecutor's office of St. Petersburg against the former head of the city committee for informatization and communications Ivan Gromov and his brother Pavel Gromov. This was announced in November 2023 by the official Telegram channel of the joint press service of the courts of the northern capital^[3].

Ivan Gromov headed the Committee on Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg in 2012-2016. "(Photo: Nikolaev Sergey/PhotoXPress.ru)"

Prosecutors checked the income and expenses of the defendants, indicating in the lawsuit that legal sources that would allow the purchase of property owned, as well as to carry out personal expenses in the amount established by the audit (for example, paying for an apartment rental of 250,000 rubles per month) has not been confirmed, which indicates the receipt of income from sources not prescribed by law, including from the brothers' joint participation in criminal activities to steal budget funds, the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg said in a statement.

The prosecutor's office asks the court to turn into income of the Russian Federation: a land plot in the Moscow region, with an area of ​ ​ 4,371 sq.m., worth 469 800 000 rubles (337 100 000 rubles - the cost of a house, 132 700 000 rubles - the cost of a plot); a house on a plot of land with an area of ​ ​ 1,671.10 sq.m. According to the St. Petersburg publication "City Portal," this land and house are located, in particular, in the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region.

The court imposed interim measures on the indicated real estate.

According to# block_235 Art. 235 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, one of the grounds for the forced termination of ownership is the appeal (seizure from the owner of his property) by a court decision to the income of the Russian Federation of property in respect of which evidence of its acquisition for legal income is not presented in accordance with anti-corruption legislation.

In the database of workflow of the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg, it is indicated that in addition to the prosecutor's office and the Gromov brothers, third parties who do not declare independent claims regarding the subject of the dispute are involved in this court case - the Interregional Department of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service for the North-Western Federal District and a private person. The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for December 14.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, in 2022, 7.5 thousand objects of property, including real estate, worth over 90 billion rubles were seized from Russian corrupt^[4] was^[5]case of the Gromov brothers, a claim for the conversion of property into the income of the Russian Federation was filed before the court completed the consideration of their criminal case.

The "financier" of the IT company through which the money of the St. Petersburg Informatization Committee was laundered was given a suspended sentence

In October 2023, the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg announced the verdict against Vladislav Belchikov: he was found guilty of committing 14 episodes of crimes under block_15904 part 4 of article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale), and 3 episodes of crimes under# block_1741201 clauses a, b part 4 of article 174.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (laundering of funds or other property acquired by a person as a result of committing a crime organized by a group on an especially large scale). This was reported by the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg in its^[6].

The press service said that the purpose of the criminal intentions of the accomplices was to commit over a long period of embezzlement of budget funds of St. Petersburg aimed at financing state policy in the field of information, IT and information and communications protection, in terms of the development of SMEV. At the same time, the accomplices were aware of the social significance of this sphere of state policy and the social danger of their illegal encroachment, and also foresaw and desired the consequences of their own criminal actions out of personal material interest.

Personally, Belchikov, who has experience in the provision of accounting services, who is the actual co-owner and head of Tesonero Computers LLC, being an active member of a criminal group, voluntarily took on the role of the perpetrator of the crime out of mercenary motives, provided accounting support for the activities of Tesonero Computers LLC and the preparation of financial and economic documentation of this company. He organized the conclusion of contracts, as well as the signing of fictitious acts of acceptance of work, received stolen budget funds of St. Petersburg at the settlement account of Tesonero Computers LLC, the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg reports.

Subsequently, together with possible accomplices, he organized the cashing of stolen funds. According to the results of criminal activities carried out by an organized group, Belchikov received a share of criminal income.

The organized group systematically withdrew funds from the budget of St. Petersburg intended for the implementation of state policy in the field of information and IT, they went to the accounts of Tesonero Computers "(photo: PhotoXPress.ru)"

The amount of claimed claims from the Committee for Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg is 215 939 256.16 rubles. The amount of theft is 244 920 251 rubles.

Vladislav Belchikov pleaded guilty. A pre-trial cooperation agreement was concluded with him, the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg said. The court sentenced him to a sentence of imprisonment for a period of 5 years 1 month conditionally with a probationary period of 5 years.

The company "Tesonero Computers" also appears in the criminal case of the former chairman of the Committee for Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov and his brother Pavel Gromov, the hearing of which essentially starts on October 24, 2023, is indicated on the website of the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg. In one case, 11 more people will be tried with the brothers, including Denis Chamara, who in 2016-2019 headed the Committee on Informatization and Communications after Ivan Gromov left the post of chairman. Why the criminal case of the "financier" "Tesonero Computers" was separated into a separate proceeding is not specified.

Earlier, the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg reported that, according to the materials of the investigation, the organized group systematically withdrew funds from the budget of St. Petersburg intended for the implementation of state policy in the field of information and information technology. From June 2013 to December 2018, the group deliberately overestimated the cost of government contracts. Budget money went to the accounts of Tesonero Computers as payment for deliberately unfulfilled work and services under government contracts.

Transfer of the criminal case to court. In the case, two former CIOs of St. Petersburg and their deputies

On October 16, 2023, a preliminary hearing in a criminal case was scheduled in the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg, where the main defendants include the former head of the committee for informatization and communications of the northern capital, Ivan Gromov, and his brother Pavel Gromov. Information about this is contained on the website of the court^[7].

11 more people will be tried in one case with the brothers, including Denis Chamara, who in 2016-2019. headed the committee on informatization and communications of St. Petersburg after Ivan Gromov left the post of chairman.

Ivan Gromov headed the Committee on Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg in 2012-2016. "(Photo: Dmitry Fufaev/" Petersburg Diary") "

In addition to the Gromovs and Denis Chamara, Marina Belozerova, Evgeny Gerus, Georgy Evdokimov, Stanislav Kovalev, Evgeny Korabelnikov, Alexey Kosarev, Andrey Nikolsky, Andrey Ovcharenko, Andrei Sokolov, Vasily Ustyuzhanin are listed in the same criminal case.

The city's informatization and communications committee previously had deputy chairmen named Andrei Sokolov and Andrey Nikolsky. Since 2015, Evgeny Gerus headed the St. Petersburg Information and Analytical Center (St. Petersburg IAC), subordinate to the Committee on Informatization and Communications. At different times, the directors of this center were also Korabelnikov and Ovcharenko. Marina Belozyorova also worked at St. Petersburg IAC.

According to the case card in the base of the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg, Ivan and Pavel Gromov will be tried under Article 159 of Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale). The same article is present in all other defendants in the criminal case.

At the same time, the Gromovs, Evdokimov, Kovalev also have Article 174.1, Part 4, items a, b The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (laundering of funds or other property acquired by a person as a result of a crime committed by him, organized by a group on an especially large scale).

In addition, Ivan Gromov also passes under Article 33 of Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (types of accomplices in the crime - the organizer).

The United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg told TAdviser that various preventive measures were chosen for the previously indicated persons. So, Ivan and Pavel Gromov have been in custody since their arrest, Evdokimov and Kovalev were elected house arrest as a preventive measure, Denis Chamara and Andrei Nikolsky - a recognizance not to leave, the rest - a ban on certain actions.

According to the United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg, Gromov, Evdokimov and Kovalev are charged with 14 episodes under 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and 3 under 174.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, Gerus 11 episodes, Chamara 9, Nikolsky 6, Kosarev 5, Ovcharenko and Belozerova 4, Korabelnikov and Sokolov 3, Ustyuzhanin 2.

There are 163 volumes in the criminal case. The amount of the claimed claims from the Committee for Informatization and Communications is about 215.9 million rubles, and the amount of theft is over 244.9 million rubles. Real estate and cars of some defendants under arrest.

As previously reported by the United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg^[8], from 01.06.2013 to 18.12.2018, an organized group was formed on the territory of St. Petersburg, the purpose of which was the systematic theft of funds from the budget of St. Petersburg, designed to implement state policy in the field of information, IT, as well as information and communication protection, carried out by the Committee on Informatization and Communications, by intentionally overstating the cost of state contracts. The company "Tesonero Computers" also appears in the criminal scheme.

Ivan Gromov's attempt to get out of custody

Former Chairman of the Committee on Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov, who was previously charged with committing 14 episodes of crimes, under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale), filed a complaint against the court decision in February to extend his preventive measure until May 23, 2023. This follows from the base workflow the St. Petersburg City Court. On March 13, Ivan Gromov's complaint was sent for consideration to the Second Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction.

In February, until May 23, the term of detention was extended for the second defendant in the criminal case, Pavel Gromov, brother of Ivan Gromov. According to the base workflow of the St. Petersburg City Court, he is also trying to appeal this decision.

The Gromov brothers have been in custody as a preventive measure for more than a year - from December 2021. As the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg explains, in February 2023, the investigator appealed to the court with a petition to extend the term of detention of the accused until May in order to complete the familiarization with the materials of the criminal case with a volume of 130 volumes and material evidence.

Ivan Gromov and his defender then objected to the extension. They consider the arguments far-fetched and referred to the data on Gromov's personality, the presence of 3 children, the giving of confessions, asked instead of the pre-trial detention center to appoint him house arrest or a ban on certain actions.

In turn, Pavel Gromov and his defenders also objected to the extension of his detention in the pre-trial detention center as a preventive measure and asked to choose another for him, including in the form of a bail of 1 million rubles or house arrest.

They referred to the state of health of Pavel Gromov and explained to the court that he was not going to hide from the investigation. Pavel Gromov and his defense say that he did not commit the alleged crimes, was not a member of the criminal group, did not work in budgetary organizations.

At the same time, Pavel Gromov and his defense argued that from the moment they began to familiarize themselves with the materials of the criminal case, the accused was provided with only 46 volumes for familiarization (the entire volume is more than 200 volumes), and at the indicated rate, it will take another 20 months to complete the acquaintance.

Be that as the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg explained, the abolition of the preventive measure or its change to a milder one is impossible, citing the severity of the charges. In addition, the Gromov brothers and their close relatives have significant financial resources. And also, as of February 2023, not all participants in the organized criminal group were identified and prosecuted^[9].

2022

Ivan Gromov extended detention in jail until February 2023

The St. Petersburg City Court issued a decision to extend the preventive measure in the form of detention against Ivan Gromov, the United Press Service of the courts of the northern capital reported on December 5, 2022.

In July, Ivan Gromov was charged with committing 14 episodes of crimes under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale). A similar number of episodes of crimes are imputed to his brother Pavel Gromov, who is also in jail awaiting trial on the merits. According to the investigation, the total amount of stolen budget funds in the framework of a high-profile criminal case amounted to about 245 million rubles.

In September, Ivan Gromov was notified of the end of the investigative actions, said the United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg. And on October 11, Gromov and his defender began acquaintance with the materials of the criminal case.

The court extended the custody of the 23.02.2023.

In the criminal case of ex-CIO of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov 12 accused and 200 volumes of materials

In a high-profile criminal case in which the accused are the former Chief information officer of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov and his brother Pavel Gromov, new details have appeared. With reference to the investigation, the United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg reported on December 1 that in the case of 12 accused and more than 200 volumes of materials^[10].

While awaiting trial, Ivan Gromov and Pavel Gromov are being held in jail. Pavel Gromov, in particular, the term of detention was extended until February 23, 2023. The previous deadline was set on December 6, 2022. Gromov and defenders asked to change the measure of restraint to a deposit of 1 million rubles.

The Joint Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg explains that it is not possible to complete the investigation by December 6, since it is necessary to complete the fulfillment of the requirements of Article 217 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation with 12 defendants and their defenders, familiarizing them with the voluminous materials of the case, as well as perform other necessary procedural actions.

Ivan Gromov's term of detention in the pre-trial detention center at the beginning of December has not yet been extended. The United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg clarified to TAdviser that the court hearing on the extension of the preventive measure to Ivan Gromov in the form of detention was scheduled for December 5.

Ivan Gromov has been in jail for a year, waiting for the completion of the investigation in a criminal case

In November, the former Chief information officer of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov and his brother Pavel Gromov extended the term of detention until December 6, 2022 inclusive. TAdviser was told about this in the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg.

The brothers were detained in a high-profile fraud case and charged on December 7, 2021. Thus, in anticipation of the completion of the investigation in custody, they will spend at least a year.

Ivan Gromov was detained on December 7, 2021 "(photo - Mikhail Ognev/Fontanka.Ru)"

Ivan and Pavel Gromovs, we recall, are accused in a criminal case under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale). Initially, they were charged with 8 episodes of fraud totaling more than 165.5 million rubles. But for six months, the investigation revealed a total amount of damage of almost 245 million rubles.

It follows from the St. Petersburg file files of judicial workflow that since the arrest, Ivan and Pavel Gromov have made attempts to mitigate the preventive measure for them, but they were unsuccessful. The last such attempt took place in November, judging by the data in the file cabinet of the St. Petersburg City Court.

The lawyers of the accused had previously offered to release Ivan and Pavel Gromov on bail of 500 thousand and 1 million rubles^[11]. Justifying why Ivan Gromov should not be released, the investigator then drew attention, among other things, to the presence of a large number of high-ranking business connections in the former official, as well as to the skills of operational-search activities - Gromov worked for some time in the police.

In the case of the ex-CIO of St. Petersburg on the embezzlement of 245 million rubles, two more former officials were placed in jail

The Kuibyshevsky District Court of St. Petersburg, at the request of the investigation, placed in custody the ex-deputy chairman of the committee for informatization and communications of St. Petersburg Andrei Sokolov. He is accused of fraud on an especially large scale (part 4 of article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) within the framework of an organized group headed by the former head of the city committee for informatization and communications Ivan Gromov. This was reported by the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg^[12]. Andrei Sokolov was detained on July 13, 2022.

The Kuibyshevsky District Court of St. Petersburg placed in custody the ex-deputy chairman of the committee for informatization and communications of St. Petersburg Andrei Sokolov. The photo is z1v.ru

At the request of the investigation, on July 13, another person involved in the case was detained - the ex-director of the State Unitary Enterprise "St. Petersburg Information and Analytical Center" (SPB IAC) Andrei Ovcharenko (part 4 of article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). He held this position since June 2018^[13]

In relation to another participant in the case of Ivan Gromov - Yevgeny Korabelnikov (part 4 of article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), a milder preventive measure was chosen in the form of a ban on certain types of activities. He is forbidden to go outside the residential premises from 22:00 to 07:00, communicate with the persons involved in the case and use the means of communication. Evgeny Korabelnikov was the director of the IAC SPB until February 2015, and after the actual owner and head of the Tesonero Computers company, to whose accounts budget funds were transferred^[14] in the^[15]

In addition, the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg announced that in addition to Ivan Gromov, his brother Pavel Gromov, Andrei Sokolov, Andrei Ovcharenko and Yevgeny Korabelnikov, the organized group included at least four more people, and several members of the group have yet to be established by the investigation. The investigation has not yet named other names, but indicates that the group is involved in the activities of the group: another ex-deputy chairman of the committee for informatization and communications of St. Petersburg; former head of the department for design and development of electronic archives of the IAC SPB; ex-CEO of Tesonero Computers and the person conducting the current management of the company's activities (according to the Kontur. Focus service, the company was liquidated in March 2019).

According to the investigation, the organized group systematically withdrew funds from the budget of St. Petersburg, intended for the implementation of state policy in the field of information and information technologies. From June 2013 to December 2018, the group deliberately inflated the value of government contracts. Budget money went to the accounts of Tesonero Computers as payment for deliberately unfulfilled work and services under government contracts.

Having stolen by deception the budget funds of St. Petersburg in the total amount of about 245 million rubles, the group caused material damage to the city in the indicated amount, the press service of the courts said. Read more here

In December 2021, the Kuibyshevsky District Court of St. Petersburg placed Ivan Gromov and his brother Pavel Gromov under arrest. In May, the preventive measure was extended until August 23, 2022. A preliminary investigation is underway in the case. Andrei Sokolov and Andrei Ovcharenko, detained on July 13, are also detained until August 23. Read more here

According to TAdviser in the joint press service of the courts of St. Petersburg, so far the case has not been received by the court.

Circumstances of the criminal case

The United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg on July 15, 2022 announced the circumstances of the criminal case, in which the Gromov brothers and a number of other persons are accused^[16]. From 01.06.2013 to 18.12.2018, an organized group (OG) was formed on the territory of St. Petersburg, the purpose of which was the systematic theft of funds from the budget of St. Petersburg, intended for the implementation of state policy in the field of information, information technology, as well as the protection of information and communications carried out by the Committee on Informatization and Communications, by deliberately overestimating the cost of state contracts.

So, from 10.06.2013 to 18.12.2018, the participants of the OG, which included Ivan Gromov, who carried out the general management of the criminal activities of the OG at all its stages, Pavel Gromov, who controls the financial relationship of SPB State Unitary Enterprise SPB IAC with Tesonero Computers LLC, person 1, who holds the post of Chairman of the Committee on Informatization and Communications, Sokolov and person 2, who hold the posts of Deputy Chairman of the Committee; person 3 who is the actual owner and head of Tesonero Computers LLC, Korabelnikov, who served as director of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise "St. Petersburg IAC" until 20.02.2015, person 4 who held this position from 01.06.2015 to 02.02.2018, as well as Ovcharenko, holding this position since 26.06.2018, person 5 holding the position of head of the department of design and development of electronic archives of the SPB of the State Unitary Enterprise "SPB IAC," and since 01.10.2018 - the position of the head of the department of digital development in the field of culture of the Enterprise, Person 6 responsible for the current management of the activities of Tesonero Computers LLC, Person 7, since 08.02.2017 holding the position of General Director of Tesonero Computers LLC, as well as other persons unidentified by the investigation, acting in accordance with the criminal roles assigned to them, they received budget funds of St. Petersburg in the total amount of at least 244 920 251,16 rubles to the settlement accounts of TesoneroComputers LLC.

These funds were unreasonably transferred from the settlement accounts of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise "St. Petersburg IAC" as payment for deliberately outstanding work and services not provided, as part of the execution of state contracts concluded by the Enterprise with the Committee on Informatization and Communications, paid to the settlement accounts of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise "St. Petersburg IAC" as part of the execution of state contracts, the cost of which was initially overestimated, the United Press Service of the Courts of St. Petersburg said in a statement.

Thus, by deception, the budget funds of St. Petersburg were stolen in the total amount of 244 920 251,16 ruble and material damage to St. Petersburg was caused by the specified amount.

The family of the arrested ex-CIO of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov found a lot of money and a helicopter. The court does not let him go from the SIZO

Former Chief information officer of St. Petersburg Ivan Gromov, who was arrested in a criminal fraud case in December 2021, tried to appeal the decision of the Kuibyshevsky District Court to detain him during the investigation and achieve mitigation of the preventive measure, but the attempt was unsuccessful. This follows from the message in the Telegram channel of the joint press service of the courts of the northern capital dated February 16, 2022^[17].

Ivan Gromov continues to remain in jail, the court did not release him under house arrest "(photo - zaks.ru)"

The complaint was considered by the St. Petersburg City Court. The investigator asked to attach to the case file statements on the bank accounts of Ivan and Pavel Gromov, as well as their husband, according to which there was a "huge turnover of funds" in their accounts.

Pavel Gromov, a brother, as well as an accomplice of Ivan Gromov, received an official salary that he did not withdraw, and, therefore, we can conclude that he existed on money that was obtained by criminal means, the united press service of the courts of St. Petersburg said in a statement.

In addition, the investigator asked the court to attach a certificate of registration of ownership of the aircraft of the Gromov's father, according to which he owns a helicopter.

The court granted the investigator's request and attached the above documents to the case file.

The defender of Ivan Gromov asked to cancel the court order on his detention in the pre-trial detention center and elect him house arrest or a preventive measure not related to isolation from society. Gromov has three minor children dependent on him, as well as a spouse who is not currently working. His foreign passport was seized from him, so he cannot hide.

The lawyer also explained that the Gromov's father, who is a businessman, really owns a helicopter that is registered with his company, and the defense does not see anything reprehensible in this. And Gromov himself explained that his father is an entrepreneur, he has agricultural enterprises in different cities of Russia, and he moved on this type of transport. Sometimes, with the permission of his father, he also used this helicopter.

Gromov also said that he had thanks and diplomas from the President of the Russian Federation, as well as a number of awards, believed that the preventive measure in the form of detention was very harsh for him. He asked to elect house arrest, believing that this preventive measure would already properly isolate him from society.

However, the investigator and the prosecutor believed that the decision of the court of first instance on Gromov's detention in the pre-trial detention center was legal and justified, they asked him to leave it unchanged. The St. Petersburg City Court agreed with their position and did not change Ivan Gromov's preventive measure to a milder one.

2021: Detention of ex-chairman of the committee on informatization and communications Ivan Gromov. Arrest, prosecution

In December 2021, it became known about the detention of Ivan Gromov, who headed the Committee on Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg in 2012-2016. The official Telegram channel of the United Press Service of the Judicial System of St. Petersburg reported that, that the Kuibyshevsky District Court of the northern capital issued a decision on the election of a preventive measure in the form of detention until February 6, 2022 in relation to Ivan Gromov and his brother Pavel Gromov, accused of committing crimes under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale)^[18]. The charge was brought on December 7, the day the Gromovs were detained.

From the petitions submitted to the court, it follows that the Gromov brothers at that time were charged with 8 episodes of fraud totaling more than 165.5 million rubles. In addition, there was a pre-investigation check for another episode in the amount of more than 29 million rubles. And the total amount of funds checked by the investigation for the legality of origin exceeds 537 million rubles.

Ivan Gromov in court "(photo - United Press Service of the Judicial System of St. Petersburg)"

The investigation, justifying the petition, pointed out that "the psychological portrait of Ivan Gromov, based on his biography and track record, definitely characterizes the accused as a purposeful person predisposed to careerism, self-development and intentional risk, which indicates Gromov's inability and unwillingness to be content with what has been achieved in all spheres of life, which, together with the high level of well-being of the accused, confirms his tendency to illegal enrichment."

According to the Telegram channel, the investigation, justifying the second petition, indicated that "the average salary of the accused Pavel Gromov since 2013 does not exceed 40 thousand rubles a month, and his wife is not employed anywhere, however, they live in exclusive rented apartments in elite residential complexes, use premium cars, regularly make foreign trips and visit expensive resorts, Gromov P.A. also repeatedly made transactions to acquire expensive real estate, which indicates the incomparability of the level of income of the accused with a similar lifestyle and confirms the position of the investigation on the illegal nature of the origin of Gromov's livelihood and his obvious interest in enriching himself by committing mercenary crimes. "

The brothers objected to the chosen preventive measure. Ivan Gromov believed that detention was unnecessary. Pavel Gromov said that, having studied the materials, he did not see his guilt. All involvement lies in the fact that he is the brother of Ivan Gromov. The guard is an unnecessary measure, he pointed out.

The maximum term of imprisonment under the article under which the Gromov brothers pass is up to ten years.

Notes