Kidnapping of Fyodor Mikheev and a $20 Million Extortion Attempt

In 2006, Officers Pavel Karpov, Artem Kuznetsov and Anton Golyshev commenced a criminal case against Mr. Alexander Bessonov, the owner and director of Ukragrokhimprom trading company. It was alleged that a $100 million loan had not been repaid to Vneshtorgbank. The case was entirely ill founded because it was opened in July 2006, notwithstanding that the loan did not require repayments to start for another four months.

The testimony in the criminal case file alleges that Officers Karpov, Kuznetsov and Golyshev used this case as a pretext to extort $20 million from Mr Bessonov. To add weight to their threats, the officers arrested and later kidnapped Mr. Fyodor Mikheev, the 31-year old Deputy Director of Ukragrokhimprom and father of two children.

Klyuev’s role in the kidnapping of Fyodor Mikheev and a $20 million dollar attempted extortion

Testimony of Sergei Orlov from criminal case No. 352470:

“Dima called me … and asked me to help him. …they have an important witness… there was a need to provide him with lodging for several days. Dima asked me to come by a car to the Moscow Police headquarters located at Petrovka 38 around 6 PM.”

Sergei Orlov testimony on Dmitry Klyuev from cross examination of Sergei Orlov and wife of Fyodor Mikheev, 31 August 2006 (Russian), page 2-3:

In short, Klyuev arranged the hand-over of a man falsely arrested by corrupt police officers to convicted criminals who held him hostage.

Fyodor Mikheev about threats to him and his family and how the officers and violent criminals were one single criminal group.

Testimony of Fyodor Mikheev from criminal case No. 352470, page 10 underlined:

“Sergei [Orlov] and Viktor [Markelov] periodically reminded me that in case I tried to escape, not only would I suffer, but my relatives and family as well”

Testimony of Fyodor Mikheev from criminal case No. 352470, page 11 underlined:

“I was totally demoralized having learned that the investigator, the operative agents of the Tax Crimes Department, and bandits comprised a single criminal group… I am absolutely convinced that the real reasons for my detention and the initiation of the criminal case were not the crime which I was accused of, but a simple extortion of money.”

Testimony of Fyodor Mikheev about threats to him and his family and how the officers and violent criminals were one single criminal group, 31 August 2006, (Russian), pages 10-11:

Testimony of Ekaterina Mikheeva about threats of gang rape.

Testimony of Ekaterina Mikheeva from criminal case No. 352470, See underlined part on top of Page 5:

“would you like it if you were taken to a country house with many drunken men who would then rape you in a circle?”

In the same document, (see the marked text at the foot of page 5), Mr. Mikheev testified that Orlov stated:

“they, ‘Tema’ [Artem Kuznetsov] and ‘Tosha’ [Anton Golyshev] were allowed to take any bribes; the main thing was for them to be able to sort out matters.”

Testimony of Ekaterina Mikheeva about threats of gang rape and how the Officers main job was to resolve problems for the Klyuev Organized Crime? 31 August 2006 (Russian). Page 5:

Testimony of Fyodor Mikheev from criminal case No. 352470 [see box on page 4], Orlov later said that these officers were protected by the Presidential Administration:

“They were the vengeful sword of the Presidential Administration and they are allowed to take any bribes, and the Prosecutor of the City of Moscow would sign any document they submit to him.”

Testimony of Fyodor Mikheev that he was informed that the officers are protected by the Presidential Administration, 31 August 2006 (Russian). Page 4:

Despite Mikheev’s testimony and despite the fact that they were actually caught in the act of holding Mr. Mikheev hostage, these violent criminals were freed by police officers in the Klyuev Organized Crime Group and went on to commit more crimes including Victor Markelov’s participation in the theft of the Hermitage companies and $230 million in taxes

Illegal sentencing of Fyodor Mikheev to 11 years in prison

In contrast, Fyodor Mikheev was sentenced for 11 years in prison where he remains to this day
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1310279

For more information about the Mikheev kidnapping click here.