Corporate Finance Bank (BKF)

History

2024

Ex-head of the bank BKF received 19 years in prison for bribes

On December 10, 2024, the Izmailovsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Olga Mirimskaya, former chairman of the board of directors of BKF Bank, founder of the Russian Product company. She received 19 years in prison for attempts to bribe judges and bribe the investigator for a total of $1.8 million. Read more here.

License Revocation

On November 15, 2024 Central Bank Russia , he revoked the banking license from the Corporate Finance Bank (BKF), which occupies 217th place in terms of assets among Russian banks.

According to Interfax, the regulator revealed a long-term decrease in the quality of assets, the inefficiency of the business model and the chronic loss-making of the credit institution. The bank has repeatedly violated regulatory requirements and restrictions on individual transactions.

𝓲

Freepik

According to the Deposit Insurance Agency, the amount of insurance liability to depositors as of October 1, 2024 is ₽2,64 billion. Payments will begin no later than November 29, 2024 through agent banks, which will be selected until November 20, 2024.

The Central Bank established the facts of BKF's involvement in the conduct of suspicious customer transactions, aimed mainly at withdrawing funds abroad. Numerous violations were also identified in the field of countering the legalization of income and the financing of terrorism.

The ultimate beneficiary of the bank is the founder of the Russian Product company Olga Mirimskaya, who was included in the list of the richest women in Russia in 2015 according to Forbes Women with a fortune of $100 million. Currently, she is a defendant in a criminal case on giving bribes to Moscow judges.

The bank's activities were characterized by a systematic decrease in the scale of operations and a reduction in capital, which posed a threat to the interests of creditors and depositors, the Central Bank said in a statement.

Applications from depositors will be accepted in electronic form through the website of the Deposit Insurance Agency or the Public services portal. Earlier, the former top manager of Yukos Alexei Golubovich was also among the co-owners of the bank.^[1]

2020: Court decision to restore bank's debt to Golubovich's Netcore Solutions by $11.15 million

In December 2020, a new turn arose in the conflict between the co-owners of BKF Bank, the former spouses of Olga Mirimskaya and Alexei Golubovich. The court restored the bank's obligations under a subordinated loan from the Cypriot Netcore Solutions Golubovich for $11.15 million, which was taken more than ten years ago.

A year ago, the BKF refused to pay on the loan and Mirimskaya's structures challenged in court the very fact of issuing funds. In the summer, they were supported by the court of first instance. But now the situation has changed. The bank is still not going to pay the loan, appealing to the "investigative actions" against Golubovich in relation to the withdrawal of funds from the BKF.

2018: Seizure of assets of bank owner Olga Mirimskaya

In August 2018, it became known that the owner of BKF Bank Olga Mirimskaya moved to London, where she has been since June. The Office of the Federal Bailiff Service in Moscow seized real estate and shares in companies owned by Mirimskaya. Through them, she owns BKF Bank.

Mirimskaya's difficulties began after a conflict with her former common-law husband, top manager of the Golden Crown payment system Nikolai Smirnov.

Two criminal cases were opened against her. In 2016, the Nicosia District Court in Cyprus issued a warrant for her arrest. According to RBC, Mirimskaya is suspected of forgery of documents in an attempt to obtain the rights to the child. Then Mirimskaya appealed to the court of Cyprus with a demand to transfer her child on the basis of a surrogacy agreement. The court recognized the contract as fake, and a criminal case was opened against Mirimskaya.

Later, the Investigation Department for the Southern District of Moscow of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia opened a case against her under Art. 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the secrecy of telephone conversations). Mirimskaya was suspected of "illegally obtaining information about telephone conversations" by lawyers who defended the interests of Mirimskaya's former friend Nikolai Smirnov, with whom she also sued "for separation from her daughter."

In September 2017, investigators of the ICR department in the Southern Administrative District of the capital, with the support of the Russian Guard, conducted a series of searches at the BKF bank and at the place of residence of Mirimskaya and her assistant in the framework of the case of illegal wiretapping. As a result of a search in Mirimskaya's mansion, a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a flash card with details of telephone conversations of lawyers were seized. A criminal case was initiated under Art. 138 of the Criminal Code (violation of the secrecy of telephone conversations) ​v relation to unknown persons. Now it is being investigated by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee.

2017: St. Petersburg office moved to Oscar BC

In April 2017, it became known that Bank BKF rented the second floor of the Oscar business center in St. Petersburg. The transaction was carried out with the help of consultants of the consulting company Bright Rich|CORFAC International.

The credit institution occupied the 2nd floor of the entire office center. The goal of moving to a new office was to optimize rental costs. At the same time, it was important for the tenant to maintain a location in the central part of the city. A suitable room configuration was also an important criterion.

Oscar Business Center is located in the historical center of St. Petersburg, in the immediate vicinity of Nevsky Prospekt, Sadovaya Street and several metro stations. This is a prestigious 8-storey class "A" business center with a total area of ​ ​ 3.7 thousand square meters. m, providing tenants with premises of various sizes and layouts.

2015

• The head office of BKF Bank moved to a new address - in a separate building to improve the quality of customer service.
• The rating agency RAEX (Expert RA) confirmed the credit rating of BKF Bank at the A level "High level of creditworthiness," the rating forecast is stable.

2014

• The Bank improved its credit rating: Expert RA confirmed a high credit rating and changed its outlook from stable to positive.
• Tenders for servicing the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the Ministry of Development of the Far East were won.
• BKF Bank became a partner of SME-Bank under the Small and Medium Business Support Program.
• The Program of express guarantees for execution of state contracts has been launched.
• Increased the opening hours of branches in Moscow to improve the convenience of customer service.

2013

The bank launches a new line of deposits for individuals, the deposit products of which are included in the 5 best seasonal offers on the banking services portal Banki.ru

2012

• BKF Bank launches a new website with updated functionality (access to the Internet bank, online consultant for communicating clients with bank employees in real time, etc.)
• BKF Bank, together with the CFT Group of Companies, organized one of the first loyalty projects in Russia based on MasterCard gift cards for Afimall City shopping and entertainment center.
• BKF Bank becomes a partner of the Sberbank-AST electronic trading platform to provide a more convenient service for customers participating in state tenders and auctions.

2011

• Opening a branch in Novosibirsk.
• BKF Bank has been assigned a creditworthiness rating "A" (high level of creditworthiness) of the leading Russian rating agency Expert RA.

2010

• Bank BKF won the Finance Magazine Award for its successful strategy of building partnerships with clients.
• Bank BKF is included in the register of banks of the Federal Customs Service with the right to issue bank guarantees for payment of customs payments.

2009

The Corporate Finance Bank was awarded the title of laureate of the special prize "Financial Olympus" in the category "Corporate Bank (Potential and Perspective)."

2008

Opening a branch in St. Petersburg.

2001

The Bank was renamed Corporate Finance Bank LLC.

1994

The bank is registered under the name Commercial LLP FABA Bank.

Notes