Filenews 31 December 2022 - by Fanis Makridis
Intense Cypriot color in another case that concerns internationally and is related to the Cyprus Investment Program. The state-run Italian channel RAI3 last Monday highlighted details of the criminal investigation against three businessmen of Russian origin, who have obtained a Cypriot passport and are wanted by the authorities of the Russian Federation. The reason for 45-year-old Semiokin Roman Alexandrovich, 38-year-old Kazorin Dmitry Sergeevich and 42-year-old Karskov Sergey Sergeevich. According to the prosecuting authorities of the Bryansk region, they are suspected of tax evasion. In particular, the Russians believe that the three entrepreneurs are the final beneficiaries of the betting company 1XBet and that they owe the Russian state a respectable amount as a tax.
The advertisement declaring the three businessmen wanted, which is posted on the official website of the prosecutor's office in the city of Bryansk, states that the company's obligations towards the Russian state relate to 1XBet's income, which over a five-year period amounted to EUR 63 billion. Rubles. This corresponds to more than EUR 800 million. euro.
However, the available data do not indicate a direct link between the above and 1XBet. It should be noted that this betting business is active internationally, while it is interconnected with our island through labyrinthine routes.
It is indicative that 1XBet's websites operating in Canada and Brazil, state that they are owned by two Curacao corporate entities, which in turn are managed by Cypriot business entities. Klafkaniro Limited and Kassifoni Enterprises Ltd, respectively.
All three entrepreneurs have denied being the final beneficiaries of 1XBet. A characteristic report is also in the Russian edition of Forbes, on 29/12/2021. A journalist notes that he located the three wanted persons with a Cypriot passport in Limassol, spoke with them and denies what they are accused of.
The note accompanying the advertisement declaring the three aforementioned wanted, states, among other things: "The second chamber for the investigation of special important cases of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Bryansk Region, is conducting an investigation into a criminal case against Karshkov S.S., Semiokhin R.A. and Kazorin D.S., for offenses related to violations of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the findings of the survey, from October 2014 to May 2019, three residents in the center of the Bryansk Oblast, who are now on the international wanted list, organized the development of software for organizing and conducting betting games at 1xbet and provided technical support for this website. Betting games were conducted without obtaining a license issued by the Federal Tax Service of Russia, based on the procedure established by the Law. As a result of the illegal betting activities by the organized group, from October 2014 to May 2019, they have generated an income amounting to a total of 63 billion rubles."
The case was brought to light by the Italian journalist Lorenzo Ventemiale of RAI3, through the well-known investigative journalism show "Report".
