Kalina Oil founder with prior conviction detained in Voronezh
Voronezh millionaire businessman Valery Borisov — founder of the Kalina Oil gas station chain — has been detained by regional FSB officers and, by court decision, placed in custody. This was reported on January 21 by Voronezh1.ru, citing its own source in law enforcement structures. According to our data, his placement in pre-trial detention is linked to a criminal case on illegal banking activities — under Article 172 of the Russian Criminal Code — initiated by FSB investigators.
Kalina Oil gas stations operate throughout the Black Earth region of Russia.
Cheated the state out of 65 million
The financial indicators of Borisov«s former gas station business are not positive.
The legal name of the Kalina Oil gas station network is oddly LLC «Legal Center Kalina», and its main declared activity is law and accounting. The company was founded in Voronezh in 2002 — stations are not only in its home region but also in Lipetsk, Kursk, Tambov, and Saratov regions. According to the service Rusprofile.ru, Valery Alexandrovich Borisov was listed as the owner and manager of the company until June 24 and April 25, 2019, respectively. However, back in August 2018, he was detained by the FSB in a criminal case on large-scale fraud with value-added tax. According to the investigation, from July 2011 to January 2018, Borisov illegally received VAT refunds from the state amounting to almost 65 million rubles (about $722,200 at current rates) — by presenting fake documents for the purchase of fuel and lubricants and gas station complexes.
The businessman then spent four days in pre-trial detention, but began actively cooperating with the investigation and was released under restrictions on certain actions. However, in January 2019, he was sent back to the detention center — for violating the restrictions, and was held for 3.5 months for disciplinary purposes. In early May, the defense managed to secure a mitigation, and until the verdict in the fall of that year, Borisov was free on bail of 3 million rubles (about $33,300).
He faced up to 10 years in a colony, but the lawyer was wise. Valery Alexandrovich admitted everything, repented, fully compensated the swindled state for the damage. And on September 27, 2019, for two episodes of fraud, he received two years of general regime from the Central District Court of Voronezh. However, the lawyer and even the prosecutors considered the verdict draconian — the man is good, he realized everything — and appealed, asking to replace the term with a suspended sentence, but. The regional court was not moved. On December 11, 2019, it left Borisov with the same two years of general regime, only crediting the period when the businessman was under restrictions on certain actions during the investigation toward the term of imprisonment.
The term for expunging a criminal record for serious crimes (large-scale fraud is one of them) is eight years after serving the sentence. However, already in May 2020, Borisov was released on parole, and last year his criminal record was removed — apparently for good behavior.
King of gas stations
According to Rusprofile.ru, Valery Alexandrovich Borisov currently owns two companies. In May 2023, already after the fraud case, he became a founder of the Voronezh LLC «Rubikon», trading in fuel. And in August of the same year, he founded LLC «Astra» — even in Elista — with the main registered activity of managing non-residential real estate. Here he is also the director. At «Astra», however, among additional activities is refueling river vessels with fuel. The total value of Borisov«s shares at the end of 2024 was estimated at 6.6 million rubles (about $73,300). The total revenue of the firms then amounted to 100 million rubles (about $1,111,100), having fallen by 85% over the year, total profit fell by 40% — to 222 thousand rubles (about $2,467). Nevertheless, these companies remain in the black. In addition, Borisov has an individual entrepreneur — as with »Astra«, for managing non-residential real estate and additionally — trading in fuel.
Borisov«s gas station brainchild »Kalina«, judging by the top surnames, has passed to relatives: it is managed by Borisov Andrey Alexandrovich, two of the three co-owners are also Borisovs — Alexander Valeryevich and the same Andrey Alexandrovich. However, the company»s finances, according to accounting reports, are not good.
Details on the new criminal case against Valery Borisov are not yet available. But if the court establishes the guilt of the disgraced businessman in illegal banking activities, depending on the composition of the crime, he could face up to seven years in a colony.
