Satyukov Georgy

Biography

2024

Accusation of receiving a record bribe of 5 billion rubles from the administrator of the crypto exchange

On April 16, 2024, it became known that Georgy Satyukov, an employee of the Bureau of Special Technical Measures (BSTM) as part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, is accused of receiving a record bribe for this department. According to investigators, we are talking about an amount of almost 5 billion rubles - this money came from the administrator of one of the cryptocurrency exchanges.

According to the Kommersant newspaper, Satyukov served as head of the 3rd branch of the 4th department (to combat crimes in the credit and financial sphere committed using information technologies) of the Department for Combating Crimes in the Field of Information and Telecommunication Technologies ("K") BSTM of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Dmitry Sokolov, Satyukov's former colleague, who played the role of an intermediary in the criminal scheme, is also a defendant in the case.

source = Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian federation

According to the investigation, these persons, under threat of criminal prosecution, imposed their patronage on Alexei Ivanov (Bilyuchenko), the system administrator of the World Exchange Services Pte crypto exchange. Ltd. (Wex is a former BTC) incorporated in Singapore. The case file says that criminals in the period from March 2019 to October 2021 received bribes in the form of cryptocurrency in the amount of at least 2119, 5265569864 bitcoin (BTC) and 10,016 ethereums (ETS), which is equivalent to at least 4.9 billion rubles (at the time of transfer of funds). Crypto assets through Sokolov were transferred to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Satyukov for "illegal actions (inaction) and general patronage in favor of Ivanov.

The investigation charged Satyukov with receiving the largest bribe in the history of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Prior to that, the anti-record belonged to Colonel Dmitry Zakharchenko, who was convicted of taking bribes totaling 1.4 billion rubles. Satyukov and his relatives were found to have six large real estate objects, including an apartment with an area of ​ ​ about 200 square meters in the Nezhinsky Ark residential complex in Moscow, as well as 13 accounts in various banks. Satyukov and Sokolov managed to hide abroad and were arrested in absentia.^[1]

Seizure of accounts

The Basmanny Court Moscow seized 30 bank accounts of former employees MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS accused of receiving a record bribe of ₽4,9 billion. This became known in August 2024.

According to RIA Novosti, we are talking about former employees of the Bureau of Special Technical Measures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Georgy Satyukov and Dmitry Sokolov. They are accused of receiving the largest bribe in the history of the department from the administrator of the cryptocurrency exchange World Exchange Services Pte. Ltd. (Wex) by Alexei Ivanov.

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Freepik

The investigation established that from March 2019 to October 2021, the accused, threatening criminal prosecution, forced Alexei Ivanov to transfer them a bribe in cryptocurrency in the amount equivalent to ₽ 4.9 billion. The funds came to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Georgy Satyukov.

During the investigation, it turned out that the defendants in the case drew up bank and brokerage accounts for proxies. The court seized 30 such accounts in the largest Russian banks, including PJSC Sberbank of Russia, PJSC VTB Bank and Agricultural Bank.

In addition, one residential and two non-residential premises, as well as 13 bank accounts of the wife of one of the accused, were arrested. The brother of another defendant arrested one residential and five non-residential premises.

Both former Interior Ministry officers are outside Russia. They were arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list. Satyukov was charged with taking bribes on an especially large scale, and Sokolov was charged with mediation upon receiving them.

Alexey Ivanov, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement of cryptocurrency in the amount of ₽3 billion, concluded a pre-trial agreement on cooperation with the investigation. The court sentenced him to three and a half years in prison.

This case surpassed in scale of corruption the case of the former colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Dmitry Zakharchenko, sentenced to 16 years for bribes in the amount of ₽1,4 billion. Zakharchenko had confiscated property worth ₽9 billion, which was turned into state revenue.^[2]

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