Neverov faces third criminal case with over 1 billion rubles claimed
Civil lawsuits totaling over half a billion rubles (approximately $5 million at current rates) have been filed by government institutions from several regions against former CEO of the East Arctic Oil and Gas Corporation (VANK) Stanislav Neverov, who is already facing his third trial — this time he is accused of money laundering (Article 174.1 of the Criminal Code) and fraud committed using his official position on an especially large scale (Article 159 of the Criminal Code).
The lawsuits were filed by representatives of several regions that lost money in concession agreements with Neverov«s companies. The Ministry of Education and Science of Khabarovsk Krai demands recovery of 132.37 million rubles (approximately $1.32 million), the Ministry of Education and Science of Zabaykalsky Krai — 46.92 million rubles (approximately $469,200), the Ministry of Construction, Road Facilities and Transport of Zabaykalsky Krai — 102.71 million rubles (approximately $1.03 million). The administration of Chita filed a lawsuit for 217.07 million rubles (approximately $2.17 million), the administration of Vladivostok — for 9 million rubles (approximately $90,000), the administration of Nadezhdinsky Municipal District of Primorsky Krai — for 50 million rubles (approximately $500,000). In total, adding up all lawsuits, it amounts to over 558 million rubles (approximately $5.58 million).
During the same court hearing, Neverov incidentally explained that he has a new lawyer because his previous defender refused to work with him, as he «had nothing to pay with.»
According to the first verdict handed down to him in Khabarovsk, Neverov was ordered to pay 168.8 million rubles (approximately $1.69 million) to the Ministry of Education of Zabaykalsky Krai for failed concessions. Another 356.3 million rubles (approximately $3.56 million) he must compensate to the administration of Chita: with them, Neverov had a concession agreement for gasification. According to the second verdict the court granted the civil lawsuit of the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services for compensation of 48 million rubles (approximately $480,000).
In total, if we add the money already recovered from Neverov by verdicts, and the amounts presented to him in the third case, it comes to 1 billion 130 million rubles (approximately $11.3 million).
On 8 July 2025, Neverov«s company VANK, which held concessions in Zabaykalsky Krai for the construction of schools, kindergartens, and gasification, was declared bankrupt, the decision was made by the Moscow Arbitration Court, according to the case file.
The third criminal case against Neverov on charges of embezzlement and legalization of 1.4 billion rubles (approximately $14 million) in the implementation of concessions in Russian regions, including Zabaykalye, 28 January began to be considered by the Central District Court of Chita.
Neverov will be tried under Articles 174.1 of the Criminal Code (money laundering) and 159 for fraud committed by a person using their official position on an especially large scale — this is the main case, covering several regions of the country, from which subsequently additional smaller fraud cases emerged.
According to the investigation, from September 2022 to May 2024, in the implementation of concession agreements for the construction of 11 socially significant facilities (six schools, four kindergartens, and a gasification section) in Zabaykalsky, Primorsky, and Khabarovsk krais, Neverov embezzled 558.1 million rubles (approximately $5.58 million). After the money was received in the organization«s accounts, it was spent not for its intended purpose.
Moreover, acting as part of an organized group, in December 2022, Neverov transferred 833.9 million rubles (approximately $8.34 million) from previously embezzled budget funds intended for the construction of the aforementioned objects to the accounts of controlled commercial organizations under fictitious contracts. Thus, under the guise of profit from civil law transactions, he introduced them into legal economic turnover.
Earlier Neverov was already sentenced to 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment in a general regime correctional colony for financial machinations with budget funds in the execution of concession agreements in Zabaykalsky and Khabarovsk krais. And then in another case related to the gasification of Chita, in January 2026 he was sentenced to a new term, increasing by summation to 6 years and 6 months in colony. About what words the concessionaire uttered at the last court, we wrote in a large text. At the last hearing, he stated that he was receiving death threats.
