Criminal empire "BRSM-Nafta": fraudster Andriy Biba continues to profit off Ukrainians

The notoriously famous founder of the gas station network "BRSM-Nafta" Andriy Biba amassed a huge fortune thanks to large-scale corruption schemes with fuel that he implemented while being close to the entourage of the former fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych.

Such connections gave Biba the opportunity to access what was practically a goldmine, which eventually allowed him to acquire elite real estate and even a business in Italy.

Who receives the "laundered" millions of "BRSM-Nafta"?

No matter how hard "the oil baron" Andriy Biba tried to hide information about who really manages the illegal dollar flow of "BRSM-Nafta", he did not succeed. They cleaned up "Wikipedia", hid companies behind fake Dutch investors, conducted pseudo-raider seizures, and even set fire to and blew up gas stations and oil depots, but still, the truth could not hide behind the thick smoke of fires and the "curtain" of fictitious paper deals. But everything in its place.

Mr. Biba is a well-known person, especially in certain circles. He founded "BRSM-Nafta" back in the mid-90s, but the peak of the gasoline business came in 2007-2010. Thus, Biba has been the constant head of the "BRSM-Nafta" company for over 20 years. But its rise began exactly in 2007, when Biba approached the entourage of then Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych to take advantage of the opportunities offered to the corrupt business by "regional authorities". By implementing various corruption schemes and replenishing the party coffers of the "regionals" as a sign of gratitude, Biba awaited his moment of glory in 2010 when Yanukovych became president. This is when the rise and peak of the "BRSM-Nafta" empire’s power occurred. Using the protection of the elder Yanukovych’s son nicknamed "Sasha the Dentist" as a "roof", Biba managed to increase the number of gas stations to 190, allowing him to enter the international list of the 200 largest companies according to Forbes magazine. During Yanukovych’s presidency, Biba did not forget to involve profitable partners with experience and powers into the business, which did not prevent him from immediately "dumping" his partners after the political situation changed.

And the opportunity presented itself immediately after the 2014 revolution, when most of Yanukovych’s entourage went abroad. However, to the consolation of the "fugitives", it can be said that Biba not only "dumped" domestic investors but also foreign ones. In 2014, 50% of "BRSM-Nafta’s" assets were re-registered to a Dutch investor, whom Biba also successfully "dumped" later.

Corruption ’BRSM-baron’ Biba acquired a villa and a winery in Italy dqxikeidqxidqrant

Criminal case for 1.6 billion hryvnia

The entire corruption scheme of smuggling oil products, "money laundering", evading excises, and "diluting" gasoline for further supply to the "BRSM" gas station network was invented and honed to perfection by Biba during Yanukovych’s "rule" and carried out through the conduit "State Oil". Interestingly, according to the State Fiscal Service, as of December 2017, the debt of "State Oil" to the budget amounted to over 2 billion UAH, and 393 million UAH to local ones.

In general, such activity of Biba and his shell companies could not go unnoticed by law enforcement. A criminal proceeding was opened for tax evasion by "State Oil" executives, within which Biba’s confidant, the director of "State Oil", was informed of suspicion, and his property was arrested.

In addition to tax evasion, the SFS accuses the company "BRSM-Nafta" ("State Oil", "Bel-Oil", "Parkom Trans", "Naftotrade-2015", "BRSM-Nafta" and other legal entities) of illegally mass-producing substandard fuel at oil depots and selling it in the retail network.

A criminal proceeding was opened for the signs of crimes provided by two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - part 3 of article 212 (tax evasion on a particularly large scale) and part 1 of article 204 (illegal production, storage, sale, or transportation for sale of excise goods).

Regarding Biba himself, a criminal investigation was launched under article 209 (legalization of proceeds from crime by an organized group), article 272 (violation of safety rules during works with increased danger), part 2 of article 366 (service forgery) of the Criminal Code. According to the SFS, the total budget losses from Biba’s illegal machinations amounted to 1.6 billion hryvnias.

Corruption ’BRSM-baron’ Biba acquired a villa and a winery in Italy

Fictitious LLC "Euro Power"

To evade criminal prosecution and remove "BRSM-Nafta’s" assets from the threat of arrest, it was fictitiously re-registered to LLC "Euro Power". At the same time, the owner of the company through henchmen remained the "gasoline king" Biba, continuing to carry out all operational management of the company.

"The cherry on the cake" of all this murky operation was that the founder of LLC "Euro Power" is Andriy Biba’s fellow student, a resident of the US state of New Jersey, Eduard Shtrakhman, who ... lives in the USA and receives unemployment benefits. At the same time, the company with an authorized capital increased from 50 UAH to 10,000 UAH carries out financial transactions for millions of dollars. Are further proofs of the nominal leadership of the nominal Shtrakhman needed?

How Biba "raided" himself

Besides being a clever "schemer" in laundering criminal money, Biba turned out to be a pretty good "theatrical" producer. To divert attention from the thriving tax evasion business, discredit his business partners, Biba organized a staged attack on "BRSM" on March 22-23, 2018, about which a special statement by the company was even made. But, either due to oversight or stupidity, the press release acknowledged that the company still belongs to Biba: "... The owner of the "BRSM-Nafta" trademark Andriy Biba has no relation to the initiation, organization, or implementation of the raider seizure of the "BRSM-Nafta" gas station network.

Covering the tracks

But even before the story with the imitation of the "raider" seizure in the asset of Biba’s criminal actions, there was an attempt to cover tracks of criminal activity, which already led to the death of people. And what better way to hide "left-called" additives, contraband goods, "diluted" oil products, unaccounted-for oil products than to burn all the crime tracks? And the explosions and fires started.

On April 22, 2014, an explosion occurred at the "BRSM-Nafta" gas station in Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyi. Six people died. On June 8, 2015, the "BRSM-Nafta" oil depot in Hlevakha, Vasylkiv district, Kyiv region caught fire. The fire was extinguished only after nine days. Five people died, and another 15 were injured. On July 17, 2017, the "BRSM" oil depot in the village of Kriachky, Kyiv region, caught fire. But not all traces could be hidden.

Bathtub purchased by Biba for $67,557

Table bought by Biba for $4.6 million

New life in Italy

Realizing the magnitude of the possible consequences of his actions, a list of criminal articles that could occupy several pages, Biba urgently emigrates with his entire family to Italy. At the new place of residence, Biba began the process of legalizing money stolen in Ukraine by investing it in the Italian economy. First, the family acquired a huge villa and not just anywhere, but in Florence, one of the most expensive cities in Italy, where the price per square meter starts from 15,000 euros.

The villa was built in 1800, its total area is 1,200 sq. meters. On the territory, there is a luxurious garden and a golf field. The total purchase cost was 15 million euros. However, not satisfied with the state of the acquired real estate, Biba ordered a designer renovation of the entire villa worth 23.5 million euros. Just one Archeo Copper branded bathtub cost $67,557 - approximately the same amount as the budget of a rural school, and the side table Tufft was purchased for $4.6 million.

Biba did not skimp on purchasing the famous Italian winery Fattoria Viticcio, for which he paid $45 million. The winery is located 30 km from Florence in Greve in Chianti and has been producing wine since 1964 with a volume of over 300,000 bottles per year. Biba’s adopted son Oleksandr Bilozerov manages the Fattoria Viticcio winery.

Biba’s wife, Svitlana, is entrusted with a more important and delicate mission - to be the courier and representative of Biba in Ukraine, to control the passage of "money laundering" schemes, deliver "black cash" and legalize it in accounts, manage all current financial-accounting operations of the company. In a word, to be the ears, eyes, and hands of her banned from entering the criminal business husband.

Biba’s wife - Svitlana

Biba’s adopted son - Oleksandr Bilozerov

The word to the MIA, GPU, and Ministry of Justice

The question remains open, how long will the law enforcement agencies remain inactive? After 1.6 billion UAH stolen, millions of dollars transferred to offshore accounts, criminal legalization of property, 50 million UAH spent by the state to eliminate the consequences of arson at oil storage facilities and gas stations, deaths, and injuries - when will the moment of punishment come? Why is Biba not declared in international search by Interpol, only in the all-Ukrainian one? Meanwhile, "BRSM" gas stations continue to bring Biba from 50 to 70 million UAH of monthly income, which he successfully "launders" in Western banks.

ORD