Boris Berson is wanted due to medical issues.
The Vasileostrovsky District Court of St. Petersburg has placed one of the former co-founders of the Adamant holding, the owner of the Cherkassky mansion, on the wanted list and arrested him in absentia. Boris BursonThe court, during the consideration of a criminal case under Article 243.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, decided to replace the restriction on certain actions with detention for the entrepreneur.
Article and charges
The entrepreneur was charged under this article in May 2021. The investigation was prompted by a fire on June 4, 2019 at the Cherkassky (Ritter) mansion on Universitetskaya embankment. Burson, who owns most of the premises in the building, is accused of violating the requirements for the preservation and use of a cultural heritage site of regional significance from 08/21/2013 to 05/28/2021, causing an estimated damage of 39.1 million rubles.
The Ritter mansion was initially planned for reconstruction as a hotel, but later plans changed to elite housing and apartments. The project was never executed.
In June 2021, the Oktyabrsky District Court imposed a ban on certain actions against Berson, including restrictions on leaving his residence and visiting his workplace at JSC “Adamant” without permission, as well as communicating with witnesses.
In multiple instances, Berson failed to appear in court, presenting sick leave certificates from non-state medical institutions shortly before the trial. A medical examination revealed that his illnesses do not significantly limit his participation in the court case. Consequently, the court concluded that Berson was evading the court and imposed a new measure of arrest for 6 months.
Today, the court reported that the defendant did not appear in the process many times, “presenting sick leave certificates opened in various non-state medical institutions shortly before the trial, while there is no information that Berson’s diseases prevent participation in the consideration of the case. was”.
They noted that “the sick leave sheets submitted by the defense do not list the diagnoses in the presence of which the sick leave sheets are open, and there is no information that Burson, for health reasons, cannot take part in the court session.” The court concluded that Burson was avoiding appearing in court and was in hiding. The new measure of restraint appointed by the court is arrest for a period of 6 months from the date of actual detention. The entrepreneur has been put on the wanted list. “When detained, the person involved must be sent to the FKU SIZO-1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region,” the press service of the courts added.
The defendant's second lawyer, Mikhail Tkach, informed Kommersant that an appeal was filed on January 11 against the decision of the Vasileostrovsky court. Lawyers are now waiting for the date of the appeal hearing. A source familiar with the situation suggested in an interview with Kommersant that the conflict over the Cherkassky House might have arisen due to Smolny's unwillingness to sell individual house premises to the businessman, making the building's reconstruction impossible.
The issue stemmed from Boris Berson owning apartments in the house, while the technical premises, including the basement and the attic, are owned by the city. This meant the businessman lacked the authorization for a full-fledged reconstruction.
The press service of Adamant clarified that "Mr. Berson Boris Iosifovich left the shareholders of the Adamant holding and is not related to any company included in the holding." According to SPARK, previously in JSC Adamant, Boris Berson owned 13%.
Boris Berson denied his involvement in the incident. In June 2021, he withdrew from the shareholders of the Adamant holding, and in the fall of the same year, it was announced that the premises in his mansion would be auctioned. The initial price of the two lots was 3.5 million and 2.3 million rubles. Specialists from the Russian Auction House (RAD) highlighted that they were acting on behalf of the Property Relations Committee (CRO), and the premises put up for sale might be interesting for redevelopment into an office, retail, or other commercial use.
Adamant is not a public company and its share price has not been disclosed. According to experts, the cost of Boris Berson’s stake on the market could amount to 15–20 billion rubles, according to minimal estimates. However, most likely, the deal was not cash, and shares in other legal entities were received in exchange for shares.
“Adamant” was founded in 1992. To date, he owns a portfolio of commercial real estate in St. Petersburg with a total area of more than 1.2 million m2, as well as objects under construction with a total area of 360 thousand m2 in the segment of offices, warehouses and the hospitality industry. The main part of the portfolio is formed by 22 shopping and entertainment complexes in different districts of St. Petersburg. Warehouse business is actively developing. Adamant also owns the Russian Glass Company and a number of other businesses, including construction, medical, advertising, etc.
