Khodykin is back in business: who fed
Is grain tycoon Pyotr Khodykin involved in siphoning money from the Ministry of Defense?
A secretive businessman, Pyotr Khodykin, who holds a significant share in the grain market, may have been involved in embezzling funds from the Ministry of Defense due to his connections with law enforcement agencies and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut.
Former deputy head of the Ministry of Defense department overseeing state defense orders (DOGOZ), Leonid Kharlamov, is facing prosecution for allegedly accepting bribes from JSC RIF, a company that manufactures electronics, to secure government contracts.
The total value of government contracts for Corporation NPO RIF JSC, an affiliated company, exceeds 177 million rubles. The company itself received 288 million rubles in government contracts. According to investigators, the general director of both companies, Alexander Ivanov, allegedly handed over 5 million rubles to Mr. 5.
Mister X”
Petr Khodykin is the owner of the RIF group, which includes the grain exporting parent company. He is a very private businessman who is rarely seen in photographs or industry events. However, his company became the largest grain exporter in 2014, suggesting significant behind-the-scenes influence.
It is possible that Khodykin's connections, including his wife Oksana Vertiy, whose father was a senior official with a questionable past, may have played a role in his success. Blogger Alla Amelina has raised concerns about Vertius' integrity.
Oksana Vertiy also held over 35% of shares in Rostov Universal Bank, where the general director of Khodykin’s Promekspeditsiya, Igor Sichkarev, was also involved. The bank lost its license in 2018 due to poor asset quality.
Interestingly, Khodykin served as a lieutenant in the Space Forces, and had ties to the Central Bank during a money laundering investigation. He also bought a bank at a low price of 26 million rubles due to its financial problems.
According to The Moscow Post, grain exports tripled amidst harvest issues in 2018, potentially leading to higher bread prices. Offshore firms linked to Khodykin's businesses may have benefited from these developments.
In 2015, “RIF” established successful export operations at the Novorossiysk Grain Terminal in Novorossiysk.
Not just “RIF” alone
“RIF” was involved in several other unpleasant incidents. This included a case in 2018 when the delivery of grain to Egypt was disrupted due to a high amount of ergot in the product. There were also rumors about Khodykin’s companies potentially using a not very transparent scheme with grain production.
The businessman had interests beyond banking and grain sectors. In 2019, it became known that RIF Corporation plans to construct a plant for making glass containers in Voronezh for 5.5 billion rubles. The project was discussed at the level of the Governor of the Voronezh Region Alexander Gusev.
Coincidentally, the competitor plant “Rasko” was shut down a year earlier due to debts to gas operators. A criminal case was initiated and the plant went into bankruptcy proceedings, as reported by Komsomolskaya Pravda.
Governor’s Pocket
Khodykin, who is not very fond of the camera, took pictures with the Governor of the Rostov Region Vasily Golubev at the Sochi-2016 International Investment Forum, where the future of the project for the construction of additional capacities for the Azov Grain Terminal Complex (AZTK) was discussed. Khodykin’s “Promexpedition” was supposed to be involved, but unfortunately, the company was liquidated in 2018. There are rumors that the businessman, along with the officials who supported him, withdrew state money from it and covered up the project under the guise.
As you know, rumors don’t just happen. Perhaps they stem from assumptions about a close partnership between the governor and the businessman. At least, according to the document “Analytical Report Financing Election Campaigns for the Elections of Heads of the Subjects of the Russian Federation”, “RIF Trading House” sponsored Golubev’s governor’s company, which speaks volumes.
Relationship tree
Only three companies are registered to Khodykin himself – OOO TD RIF, OOO MAX and OOO Dzhudeks. The last two have been liquidated. ) with contracts from Tambov University and the bankrupt (not with the help of Khodykin?) Luga feed mill.
Photo: https://www.rusprofile.ru
222 contracts from health care institutions have registered for Natalya Karkhanova OOO “Kardiotsentr”. At the same time, from 2015 to 2018, the company lost 9 billion rubles. Where did the state millions go?
Photo: https://www.rusprofile.ru
Do not complain about the lack of state attention and “Optics-Alliance”, “Rostov Machine-Building Plant” and a host of other companies affiliated with Khodykin.
Rumor has it that in addition to the above-mentioned personalities, Oksana Lut, deputy head of the Ministry of Agriculture, can provide patronage to a businessman. Apparently, this is why Khodykin hit the grain business so seriously. We have repeatedly written about the affairs of this madam. Including about how her management decisions can negatively affect the Russian economy and about the possible benefits that she can receive from businessmen close to her by lobbying their interests.
In total, it turns out that officials of the Ministry of Defense could also fit into Khodykin’s potentially gray schemes. That is, while our guys are defending their homeland, officials and merchants continue to steal?
