Corruption at Rostelecom

2021

The office of Rostelecom in Moscow was searched in the case of tender fraud

The office of Rostelecom in Moscow was searched in the case of tender fraud. This was reported on July 14, 2021 by TASS News Agency of Russia, citing a source in law enforcement agencies.

According to him, investigative actions as part of the criminal investigation of the fraud report were held at the Rostelecom office on Butlerova Street. Permission to seize documents was authorized by the Basmanny Court of Moscow. Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages from the period from 2016 to 2019 were seized from the telecom operator.

Rostelecom's office in Moscow searched the case of tender fraud

Rostelecom is suspected that its affiliates provided false information about the volume of work performed and issued fake invoices as part of participation in tenders in order to increase profits. It is noted that the "curators" were aware of what was happening and the money received was divided among themselves.

By mid-July 2021, a criminal case of fraud is under way by the Main Investigation Department of the RF IC. Official comments in law enforcement agencies and Rostelecom do not give.

The seizure of documents at Rostelecom, carried out in July 2021, was the second as part of the investigation of a criminal case of fraud with tenders in the company. The first was held in April 2020.

Earlier in 2021, law enforcement agencies also raided the country house of the deputy director of the macro-regional branch of the Rostelecom PJSC Center, Alexander Varev, who was later interrogated by investigators and remained in witness status. By mid-July 2021, lawyer Alexander Karabanov, representing his interests, refused to comment on the seizure of documents to TASS, saying that he did not know anything about the investigative actions in the Russian provider of digital services and services.^[1]

The deputy head of the Ulyanovsk branch of Rostelecom is suspected of embezzlement of 50 million rubles in the supply of equipment to the Ministry of Health

On April 2, 2021, the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Ulyanovsk Region announced the initiation of a criminal case against Ruslan Nizamiev, deputy general director of the Ulyanovsk branch of Rostelecom. He is suspected of committing a crime under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud committed by an organized group on an especially large scale). More details here.

Former top manager of Rostelecom Andrei Levakov arrested for a large bribe

On February 18, 2021, the Basmanny Court of Moscow arrested Andrei Levakov for two months, who is accused of receiving a bribe on an especially large scale (part 6 of article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). More details here.

2020

Rostelecom employees arrested in the cartel case for 788 million rubles

On February 19, 2020, it became known about the arrest of Rostelecom employees in the cartel case for 788 million rubles. According to  Interfax and Kommersant-Chernozemye, citing their sources, a total of nine people were detained. A criminal case was opened against them on the fact of a conspiracy to extract income on an especially large scale (part 2 of article 178 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Vedomosti sources in the police confirmed the detention of the managers of the telecommunications company under the antitrust article and said that the investigating authorities "are deciding on the measure of restraint."

In Voronezh, Rostelecom employees detained in the case of cartel conspiracy

According to TASS Information Agency of Russia, in Voronezh, Kursk, Belgorod, Kaluga, Volgograd regions and in Moscow, police officers and FSB departments conducted 24 searches, seizing documents and electronic media to investigate the criminal case. Seven detainees are representatives of commercial structures, and two are Rostelecom officials. All of them were placed  in a temporary detention center, the agency said.

Details of the case were disclosed by the Federal Antimonopoly Service.

The Voronezh OFAS of Russia prepared and issued the conclusion of a specialist on evidence and facts collected in the framework of a criminal case, based on their analysis, signs of a cartel agreement among bidders held by Rostelecom PJSC were established , "said Sergey Mikhin, deputy head of the Voronezh department.

Information about the searches was also confirmed in Rostelecom: "investigative measures are being carried out on the fact of abuses identified by the company together with the competent authorities in the field of procurement and construction and installation work to create network infrastructure within the framework of state and business projects."

According to  Kommersant, the mentioned bidding for the construction of communication lines was held in April 2019. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one part of the companies refused to participate in favor of the subsequent conclusion of a subcontract at a favorable price, and the other simulated a drop in the price offer^[2]

Obtaining a certificate of public confirmation of compliance with the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Charter of Russian Business

On January 31, 2020, Rostelecom announced the completion of the procedure for "Public confirmation for the implementation of the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Charter of Russian Business" with the highest rating - 5 points out of 5 possible. Rostelecom received a Certificate of Public Confirmation of Compliance with the Provisions of the Anti-Corruption Charter of Russian Business, which exempts the company from the need to submit a declaration of compliance with the provisions of the charter within five years after its receipt. More details here.

2018: Fine of 60 million rubles for the cartel at the auction

The Novgorod OFAS of Russia found Rostelecom PJSC and Technoserv AS LLC guilty of cartel conspiracy with participation in the competition for the creation of a complex for the automatic recording of traffic violations, the FAS said on November 8, 2018. As a result, the department imposed a fine on the company in the amount of 72 million rubles, of which Rostelecom should pay 60 million rubles, and Technoserv - 12 million rubles. The decision of the antimonopoly body was supported by the courts of first and appellate instance. More details here.

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