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2024: FAS revealed a cartel during the purchase of hospital beds in Rostov-on-Don

On July 3, 2024, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) announced the identification of a cartel conspiracy in the purchase of hospital beds in Rostov-on-Don. The case concerned a significant increase in prices for medical beds purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic . The investigation found that collusion led to an artificial overstatement of the cost of the equipment supplied, which negatively affected the budget and the effectiveness of the use of public funds.

According to the data published on the FAS website, the Rostov department of the department established that the Health Department of Rostov-on-Don, as well as the company Territory of Beauty LLC and Starmed LLC entered into an anti-competitive agreement, which led to a significant increase in prices for medical beds purchased for the city hospital No. 20. Purchases were carried out at inflated prices, which created additional financial burdens on the region's health care system.

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According to Kommersant, the investigation began with accusations against suppliers, but it soon became clear that the customer's officials also participated in the illegal actions. The companies "Beauty Territory" and "Starmed" deliberately created a chain of intermediaries to artificially increase prices. As a result, the beds, originally purchased at 216 thousand rubles apiece, were sold to the customer at a price of 391 thousand rubles, which led to an increase in the contract value by more than 80%. This circumstance has become one of the key reasons for the significant increase in procurement costs.

The Arbitration Court of the North Caucasus District supported the position of the FAS, recognizing the existence of an anti-competitive agreement. The agency proved that the actions of all parties were deliberate and planned, which led to a violation of antitrust laws. In relation to officials of the companies "Starmed" and "Territory of Beauty," criminal procedural measures are being taken to establish all the circumstances and participants in the illegal scheme.^[1]

2022: Involvement in cartel collusion in the purchase of hospital beds

In early May 2022, the Rostov region revealed a cartel conspiracy in the purchase of beds for hospitals. It turned out that prices for medical devices were greatly overestimated.

According to TASS, citing the press service of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (OFAS) in the Rostov Region, the violation was that the companies "intend to create a chain of intermediaries to increase the price of the supplied goods." "LLC" Territory of Beauty "acquired beds from LLC" Medstalin "and resold LLC" Starmed, "which then sold 100 pieces to the Health Department of Rostov-on-Don to open additional round-the-clock infectious diseases beds at MBUZ" City Hospital No. 20'Rostov-on-Don in connection with the threat of the spread of a new coronavirus infection at the beginning of the pandemic, "the press service reports. At the same time, Territory of Beauty LLC purchased beds from Medstalin LLC for 216 thousand rubles per unit, and sold 391 thousand rubles to the Health Department of Rostov-on-Don. Medstalin LLC was also engaged in the delivery, unloading and assembly of beds, so the customer did not receive benefits from the mediation of Territory of Beauty LLC and Starmed LLC, the regulator said.

In the Rostov region, a cartel conspiracy was revealed in the purchase of beds for hospitals. Prices were greatly inflated

{{quote 'Rostov OFAS of Russia recognized OOO "Territory of Beauty" and OOO "Starmed" violated Part 1 of Art. 11 of the Law on Protection of Competition "in terms of concluding and implementing an anticompetitive agreement in the execution of a contract with the health department of Rostov-on-Don, as a result of which prices for medical beds increased significantly during a pandemic, - said in the message OFAS in the Rostov region. }} Earlier, a fraud case was initiated against the head of the "Territory of Beauty" Oleg Glukhov. According to investigators, his company delivered to the covid hospital on the basis of the Rostov city hospital No. 20 a fake X-ray apparatus "Matrix," designed to combat COVID-19. The supply amount was about 37 million rubles. The device did not have a marketing authorization, so it was seized^[2]

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