Biography:
Born July 19, 1947 in Leningrad
He has criminal records.
He became known as an active member of a criminal gang Malyshev since the inception of this group in winter 1987 in St. Petersburg. Then there was a bloody conflict between the St. Petersburg bandits, after which some of them became "Tambov people", and others "Malyshev people". Then unknown Gennady Petrov appeared in the ranks of "Malyshev people" for the first time; he just got released from prison, and soon began his career in the post of foreman at the Moscow station.
Malyshev and Petrov were arrested in the early 90's, on suspicion of banditry. But Petrov was lucky: he missed the first wave of arrests, he was the first one among those accused who came out of "Crosses". Almost immediately after the release, happy Malyshev left his homeland and settled in Malaga. His associates followed him there.
Gennady Petrov turned out to be the most enterprising. He started setting relations with powerful persons who provided his way upstairs. According to rumors, his friendly relations with the son of a former head of RAO "RZD" Aksenenko Jr helped him a lot. In recent years, Petrov is an absolutely metropolitan figure. Many claim that his fortune is over a billion.
Source: www.fontanka.ru on 14/06/2008
Based in Spain, Petrov frequently visits both Russia's capitals. In St. Petersburg, among others, he is connected to a known network of urban jewelry stores "585", it is believed to be owned by his son Anton Petrov.
In order to hide his Russian origin, Petrov got the documents about the Greek origin, and Spain appealed to Greece with a request to provide information about him.
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 50 dated 16.07.2008
Dossier:
In May 1997 the unit on organized crime combating from Commissariat of the Spanish city Marbella asked for assistance through the Spanish Embassy in Russia. In Spain, the case of significant money laundering invested in real estate had been investigated; they came the Russian citizens, who in January 1997 created the company "Isparus» (Hisparus). Then the investigators drew their attention, in particular, to Gennady Petrov and Sergey Kuzmin.
The Spanish police got interested in individuals who had already come in view of Directorate for Combating Organised Crime in Russia. They appeared in the operational notes ( editorial board disposed of them), according to which they were known members of organized crime groups. Judging by the Spanish indictment - their names were known to law enforcement agencies of the U.S. and the EU. But that did not mean that future convicts had been marginalized in Russia's society. At least in 1998-1999, they were co-owners of the bank "Russia", which brought together friends of Vladimir Putin.
Both Gennady Petrov and Sergei Kuzmin owned 2,2% of the bank shares, and at the meetings of shareholders they had been represented by Shumkov Andrew, who in 1998-2000 was a member of its Board of Directors (first reported by the business newspaper «Vedomosti»). In 1998-1999, 14,2% stake in «Russia» belonged to the Petersburg company "Ergen," Forward Limited", and "Fuel Investment Company» ( "FIC"), which were associated with Shumkov. Shumkov and Kuzmin owned "Ergen", and co-owners of "TEC" were the firms "BHM" and "Finance Company Petroleum», affiliated with Kuzmin and Petrov.
Among the shareholders of the bank "Russia" St. Petersburg there many friends of the former president and current prime minister of Russia. The main shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors Yuri Kovalchuk, created a dacha cooperative "Lake" together with Vladimir Putin. Shareholder Nicholas Shamalov and former shareholder Viktor Myachin were also co-founders of the «Lake».
Press found out that the bank "Russia" was also associated with partners of the son of Gennady Petrov. Anton Petrov, 28 years old. He is co-founder and chairman of construction company "Baltic monolith», which is building luxury properties in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi. The general director of the «Baltic monolith", a partner of Petrov - Arkady Buravov was co-owner of the «Concern Ekomt-Investconsalting». According to data by 1995, the firm owned 5% of the bank "Russia", and Buravov was a member of its audit committee at least until 2001.
Among the co-owners of the "Concern ..." Oleg Noskov was listed - a former shareholder, board member of the bank "Russia", and partner of Anton Petrov. Together with his son Alexei Noskov and Petrov Jr., they established a Moscow company "Capital Plus". Its co-founder was also Olga Solovieva.
Created by Anton Petrov, Olga Solovieva and Noskov family the Moscow "Capital Plus" had a subsidiary - « Transinvest 2000». According to the database SKRIN, it was connected with the "Center of Business Cooperation" in Novosibirsk, which owned a half of “Left shore sandpit" in the Novosibirsk region, as well as 18% of Baikal mountain-metallurgical company" Zabaikalstalinvest». 25% of the company was under the control of the «Russian Railways». Since 2003, "Zabaikalstalinvest» has become a part of «Basic Element» of Oleg Deripaska.
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 48 dated 13.05.2009
12-13 June 2008 in Spain 20 Russians were arrested - mostly from the lucky residents of luxury villas on the famous Mediterranean coast: Leonid Khristoforov, Alexander Malyshev-Gonzalez, Gennady Petrov, Yuri Salikov, Julia Smolenko, Vitaly Izgilov and others - all of them were accused of money laundering, arms trafficking, contract murders, extortion, drug delivery, forgery, smuggling of cobalt and tobacco. It is in this context the media started talking about Gennady Petrov, who could have been hardly called a resonant figure before.
13 out of 20 detainees were imprisoned without the right to be released on bail - among them Gennady Petrov was. The four, whose fault before the Spanish laws was insignificant, got released from custody. Cash deposits paid at that ranged from 6 to 100 thousand euros.
Source: "Novaya Gazeta" on 19.06.2008
With reference to the Spanish police the media wrote about the Spanish activities of Petrov the following:
Petrov helped get released to his subordinate Yuri Mikhailovich Salikov, who was in custody in Spain on charges of fraud with VAT (value added tax) - the so-called " VAT carousels."
Petrov created the company together with Yuri Salikov, Victor Gavrilenkova and Sergey Kuzmin, was also associated with George and Peter Vasetsky. Submission to Petrov was undisputed; for example, Leonid Khristoforov when turning to him called him "boss." And once he was asked to use his influence and prevent the murder. Petrov also used the influence to remove data from the archives of law enforcement bodies of Russia and Greece.
Constantly communicating with other members of the community, Petrov gave orders for the bribes and penalties if somebody did not obey.
An analysis of the Petrov companies showed that since 1998 they had amassed movable and immovable assets of 30 million euros. The latest acquisition was the property in Mallorca for 7 million euros. The money came from five companies on the Virgin Islands.
During the preliminary investigation the accounts of companies had been frozen, on which there were more than 10 300 000 euros. Those revenues were not confirmed, because the company had not been conducting commercial activities.
Gennady Petrov got settled in Calvia in Mallorca, and was a tax resident of Spain. He is charged with large-scale tax evasion: so for 1999 Petrov and his wife had not declared the income of $ 2 270 000 euros, nonpaying approximately 880 000 euros. In 2000, they did not specify 52 million pesetas, not having paid 120 000 euros for the year, in 2001 they forgot to declare 985 000 euro, not having paid 350 000, for 2003 had not paid 180 000 euros to the treasury.
On May 30, 2001 Company ( «Inversiones Gudimar SL»), administrated by Petrov solely, bought a yacht in Italy "Sasha" (registration number 6-PM-1-01111-01) for 3.5 million euros, while in Spain it indicated that the yacht was not worth even of 700 000 euros, 530 000 euros of underpaid tax.
Finally for 2005 Petrov had not declared any income, but on June 22 , 2005 he allocated the land as a contribution to «Inmobiliare Calvia 2001 SL», and received 4 156 900 shares, each was worth of 1 euro, thus he did not pay more than 1 million euros of taxes.
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 50 dated 16.07.2008
At the background of journalistic interest in the Spanish arrests, the media found information about the search, which Spanish police conducted in a Spanish villa of the State Duma Deputy Vladislav Reznik as a part of the same criminal case.
The search could have been considered a provocation against Russia, as stated by the State Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov, if only a circumstance had not appeared. In 2004 and 2006, the deputy had connections with the three Spanish firms, associated with Gennady Petrov.
PR Assistant to Reznik Oksana Altynova reported that the deputy had reported the circumstances of deals on houses and boats: villa was purchased in 2004 from the firm Inmobiliaria Balear SL 2001 for 1,2 million euros. And in 2006 Reznik bought a boat for 2.27 million, for which the firm Centros Commerciales Antei had been acquired from Inversiones Gudimar SL; it had owned the boat. Villa was included in the authorized capital of the company. And its shares were transferred to family trust of Reznik. The same company (Trust) owned all the property in Spain.
Inmobiliaria Balear, which has sold villa to Reznik, appears in the 15th paragraph of Spanish indictment in connection with the lawyer Huan Antonio Untoria Augustine, who is believed by the Spanish justice to be adviser to Petrov and allegedly a member of the criminal community. The indictment says that the lawyer worked out the financial schemes, prepared documentation, managed 59 bank accounts, and had the right of individual signature. He participated in the creation and management of Inmobiliaria Balear 2001 SL, Inversiones Gudimar SL and 7 other companies which had been serving in order to disguise the origin of Petrov's money.
From 1998 to 2007 more than 16 million euros from Panama, Latvia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Virgin Islands and Russia had passed on numerous bank accounts controlled by the lawyer. The indictment alleges that Juan Antonio used the relations for his own influence, and once even threatened to a person, that someone would send Russians and that person would just disappear.
According to the indictment, Petrov was the sole manager of Inversiones Gudimar SL, from which the company Centros Commerciales Antei had been acquired together with the registrated on the company boat for Reznik. On May 30, 2001 Inversiones Gudimar bought the Italian yacht "Sasha" (registration No. 6 RM-1-01111-01) for 3.5 million euros for Petrov. Petrov stated in the declaration that the yacht was not worth of 700 000 euros even, and thus underpaid 530 000 to the Spanish treasury.
The boat was registered on the Centros Commerciales Antei. The deputy also put his villa in the charter capital of the acquired firm. The indictment alleges the company is also mentioned in the paragraph on the legalization of capital, bank accounts and cash entries, which, in the opinion of investigation, connected Gennady Petrov, Alexander Malyshev, and his partner, Olga Solovyova (she engaged in financial communities).
The company was authorized to conduct operations in the bank "La Caha» (La Caixa). On October 31, 2003 it received 600 000 dollars from a Swiss Shimer Finance Corp, which in the same 2003 was noted by transferring of 413 547 dollars at the expense of Irina Usova — sister of Olga Solovieva, and sister-law of Alexander Malyshev.
Crossing of the deputy with a firm, appearing in the Spanish indictment, could be regarded as accidental. But there three companies like this.
Assistant to Reznik Oksana Altynova noted that the deputy was only a client, and was familiar with Petrov in so far as to buy a house. Altynova believes that one can not be accused of buying something because he is not obliged to verify who had owned the company in the past, the transaction was legitimate, and Reznik had a deal with legal entity.
Investment in real estate and construction business - an area in which Petrov family has been mostly noticeable. Coincidentally interests of Anton Petrov and his partners have intersected with the largest investment and construction group in Russia - "Baltic Construction Company (BSK) by Igor Nayvalta. This group is also close for Vladimir Putin and his entourage. The Bank "Russia" until February 2005 was among the shareholders of the branch "BSK SPb». A son of Putin's cousin Michael Karlin from May to December 2007 was listed as founder of "BSK-65».
Anton Petrov and Oleg Noskov owned the St. Petersburg firm "Finance and Administration». However, together with "BSK" it created the Consulting Group the”Baltic management system», it was also a shareholder of Samara manufacturer of cranes JSC" Sokol ", part of "BSK ".
Andrew Shumkov, who represented Gennady Petrov and Sergei Kuzmin at the meetings of shareholders of the bank "Russia", as well as some firms associated with Kuzmin and Petrov, was directly related to fuel and energy complex and the chemical industry in St. Petersburg. Those links led to Vladimir Kumarin (Barsukov).
According to SKRIN, Shumkov was a leader of the «Industrial Group Kinbou" and "Fininvest", which 100-percent owner was stated the «Kinbou Trading Limited» from the British Virgin Islands.
Both firms in Russia were the shareholders of St. Petersburg "Red Chemist". Since 1996, the principal owner and CEO of the company was Vyacheslav Rutshteyn, which was one of the founders of the St. Petersburg Charity Foundation «IMTO-XXI Century»(Foundation for Support of the University of Information Technologies Mechanics and Optics). One of the founders of the fund was Vladimir Kumarin.
Gennady Petrov and his son are familiar with some of the leaders of state-controlled companies. Anton Petrov was a founder of the Moscow firm "Severfinans" together with Naila Malyutin - currently CEO of the Financial Leasing Company (FLC), a member of the state "United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
Sources close to the Spanish investigation, reported that the arrested Russians supposedly had been discussing shipbuilding projects relating to "the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC)». As journalists managed to find out, Gennady Petrov was familiar with the former first deputy general director of "FLC" Andrew Burlakov, who is currently co-owning Wadan Yards (shipyards in Germany and Ukraine).
Journalists contacted Burlakov, and he explained that he was familiar with Petrov, and met with him a couple of times, but they had never discussed any joint projects and business issues.
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 48 dated 13.05.2009
Some interesting things became known from the Spanish telephone Protocol of Petrov. Thus, on 23 August 2007, according to the wiretapping protocols. St. Petersburg businessman Vladimir Golubev "Barmaley"called Petrov to talk to Reznik, since at the moment Petrov and Reznik were together. "Barmalei" Reznik asked to speak with somebody G. to stand up for Mikhail Blinov, who was supposed to take a position relevant to real estate issues. By coincidence, Blinov indeed served as head of territorial directorate of Federal Agency for Federal Property Management for some time, and then almost moved to Moscow as deputy of the local territorial administration, allegedly on personal order from German Gref.
On August 28, 2007 at 9.36 Ilia Traber managed to call Petrov (known businessman in St. Petersburg who has long lived in Spain). Traber is known for being involved in antiques. And then he had a relationship, in particular, to the "Information Bureau Peter" together with a former KGB officer Viktor Korytovs, who later became deputy chairman of Gazprombank; and with Michael Sirotkin - then deputy head of the legal department of «Gazprom». In the late 90's the bureau was a co-owner (12%) of St. Petersburg Fuel Company (SFC). Traber who got through to Petrov said he wanted to talk with Reznik and discuss with him a number of cases.
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 122 from 02.11.2009
On October 1, 2007 at 11.50 special division of the Spanish police recorded a call to Gennady Petrov from Igor Borisovich Sobolevsky. Sobolevsky told Petrov that some people gave him documents, that he was going to study them and to think on what could be done. According to Spanish police, it was about the land apparently illegally seized from the people (they used the term "raids").
The same day, a few minutes later Petrov got a call from his partner in St. Petersburg. During the conversation, they talked about problems with teeth that Igor Borisovich Sobolevsky suffered, so he was in the dental clinic for treatment. Apparently, Igor paid for medical assistance, and Petrov gave instructions to his partner that he did everything necessary, and those costs were to be paid by Petrov.
On November 10, 2007 someone named Andrey Begemot called Petrov. Begemot reminded Petrov that it was the Militia's Day, and Petrov replied that it was their holiday also. Andrey reminded that they needed to call Igor (they were talking about Igor Sobolevsky - Comment of the Spanish police) and others, to congratulate them. Later Igor Petrov called Sobolevsky and congratulated him on the Day of the militia. Petrov took the opportunity to convey greetings to the wife of Sobolevsky. Petrov also said that he was going to arrive in St. Petersburg on November 12 and in Moscow on November 18, and proposed to go to Moscow together.
By coincidence, Igor Sobolevsky is a quite famous person in Russia. Exactly the same name has former deputy chairman of the Investigation Committee under the Prosecutor's Office. Igor Sobolevsky - classmate of Vladimir Putin and of Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee - became deputy head of the Investigative Committee in 2008, and was relieved of his post by President Dmitry Medvedev in June 2009. Sobolevsky left "voluntarily".
On September 20, 2007 Petrov had a conversation with Alexander Zolotoy (person from his environment, who was engaged in the business of jewelry stores and precious metals. - Comm. Spanish police). In the course of three conversations they discussed a bank credit, which they had to ask for. Judging by their conversation, the sides hoped that the money (700 million rubles) would be provided by Savings bank, and had to be returned within one year. Alexander Petrov said that someone Nail was going to provide them with a service acting as guarantor. Also, they talked about money, which they had to pay to Savelyev (person from the bank "St.-Petersburg". - Comm. Spanish police) in the amount of 15 (perhaps they were talking millions of dollars) by the end of January.
On November 1, 2007 at 13.59 Nail called Petrov <...>. Nail said that Gref, "a friend of Petrov” invited him to a banquet on November,12 at the 160 th anniversary of the Savings Bank.
The name specified in Spanish materials matches the name of the former Minister of Economic Development and Trade Herman Gref, who has been the head of the Savings Bank from November 28, 2007
Gennady Petrov also discussed the possibility of obtaining a loan in the bank "Saint Petersburg". September 20, 2007 Petrov told his son that he had agreed on bank loan finally. Also, they discussed the change of Saveliev's position, who refused to grant the requested credit to Petrov, whereas originally he had accounted on his support. As it followed from the conversation, the bank credit committee refused the loan, citing a large number of applications.
Head of Press Service of the Bank «Saint Petersburg» Anna Barkhatova told reporters that the chairman of board of bank Alexander Saveliev did not deny the negotiations, though he could not remember exactly if they had happened..
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 124 from 09.11.2009
There is a testimony given by the former Spanish military and lawyer that Gennady Petrov had a relationship with the colonel of the National Intelligence Center of Spain, as in the past he had been connected with the KGB, and was familiar not only with some members of Russia's parliament and a very influential people, but also with Vladimir Putin.
Defender of Mario Martinez-Peсalver representing the interests of the retired officer and lawyer Juan Antonio Untoriya Agustin, presented a statement to the Central Investigation Court number 5 in which it was stated inter alia:
"Mr. Juan Antonio Untoriya met with Mr. Gennady Petrov in 1998 through his friend, Colonel Mr. Hose Alises Saens: The two studied together at the main military academy, and then wore the rank of major.
Mr. Alises belongs to Spain's National Intelligence Center and had a relationship with Gennady Petrov, when he was in the KGB, and the first was in charge of counterintelligence in the Superior Center of Information and Defense of Spain (Centro Superior de Informacion de la Defensa CESID). The said gentleman told my client that he was familiar with Russia's largest businessman, a close friend of the then President of Russia Mr. Putin since the days they both had worked in the KGB; and that gentleman, named Gennady Petrov wanted to get settled in Spain, to set a business in real estate, import and export of food products between Russia and Spain, and for doing that he needed a lawyer in Spain. Similarly, he reported that Mr. Petrov had several major companies in Russia, among them: a jewelry store chain with more than 350 salons located in the most prestigious residential areas of the capital and other cities, a construction of luxury housing, mostly in Saint-Petersburg and Moscow, one of his companies obtained several major government contracts for the construction of highways and reconstruction of roads, for controlling the port of St. Petersburg, where Mr. Petrov had more than 30%, import of cement, a supermarket chain and retail trade centers (as he was told, about 200) <...>.
"My client has always believed Petrov is a big businessman associated with the higher political circles of his country. This view was confirmed when Mr. Petrov introduced him to the two close friends who were interested in buying housing in the city of Palma de Mallorca, - to Mr. Reznik <...> and Mr. Leonid Reiman <...>. Mr. Reznik and Mr. Reiman, who had been introduced by Mr. Petrov, were customers of my client (a lawyer also gives the address of the villa, bought by Reiman: Palma de Mallorca, Santa Ponsa, street Malgrats, 10).
The name Leonid Reiman mentioned in the statement of the lawyer coincides with the name of former Minister of Information Technologies and Communication, who is now an adviser to Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev.
Source: Novaya Gazeta № 127 dated 16.11.2009