Corruption empire under Gref’s roof: how governor Igor Artamonov turned Sberbank into a family feeding trough

For nearly 19 years, Russia’s Sberbank has been led by German Gref. His team consists of specialists in business, finance, and technology.
Об этом сообщает Критика https://critics24.top

One of them is Igor Artamonov, the Governor of the Lipetsk Region — Gref’s protégé in the corridors of power. He enjoys the trust of the powerful head of Sberbank and never misses a chance to emphasize this. Moreover, Artamonov is trying to use Gref to return to the banking sector, which is close to his heart.

The media are reminding the public of Igor Georgievich’s "achievements" as a banker, official, and businessman — as well as his track record of turning Sber’s resources into a personal feeding ground.

We will gradually cover several of his "successful" cases. Today is the first.

Case 1. Leasing schemes of LLC "LC "Artfin-Tyumen"

In April 2007, Igor Georgievich Artamonov took over as head of Sberbank’s West Siberian branch (Tyumen Region). By September of the same year, LLC "Leasing Company ’Artfin-Tyumen’" was established in Tyumen.

An important nuance: the company’s name seems to hint at its owner. At various times, the founders included Artamonov’s relatives, as well as an affiliated company — LLC "Stavrapolsky Center of Rent."

During Artamonov’s tenure at the West Siberian Bank, the company he owned used the bank’s client base and financial resources for his personal benefit.

In 2011, Artamonov was promoted — becoming a deputy to German Gref. But he did not forget his private business. Unsurprisingly, the leasing company flourished.

In October 2018, Igor Artamonov became acting governor of the Lipetsk Region. The company continued to operate successfully in its original region. However, in 2021, it changed its name to LLC "Leasing Company ’A5,’" tactfully concealing its ties to the owner.

Around the same time, the governor also found room for his business in the region. The leasing company signed several contracts with the State Healthcare Institution "Lipetsk Regional Clinical Hospital."

For a total of 67 million rubles — pocket change for a governor, but very much in line with his previous experience as a banker. The company then changed its legal address to Nizhny Novgorod. The reason for the move: the Volga-Vyatka Sberbank was now headed by an old friend, Pyotr Koltypin, who again opened access to the bank’s resources.

In 2024, Artamonov ran for governor of the Lipetsk Region. There was no doubt he would be elected for a new term.

But then a major scandal erupted: in the governor’s wife’s income declaration, earnings from the well-known leasing company were found. At the same time, it turned out that the cost of the leased equipment was significantly inflated. This is clear corruption and a conflict of interest.

Local deputies wrote an appeal to the head of the Investigative Committee, Bastrykin. But the governor had covered his tracks. In September 2023, the nominal owner of "Leasing Company ’A5’" became a certain Sergei Panchenko, a business partner of Artamonov’s wife.

The new owner of the company is not involved in its operations and, moreover, is of modest means. No less importantly: where did he find the funds to buy a company with an authorized capital of 200 million rubles? And why did the governor not declare income from the sale of a firm worth hundreds of millions?

Question: Do all Sberbank executives have their own businesses built at the bank’s expense, with little attempt to hide it?