Police Complete Probe Into Fake Builders' Scam Affecting Hundreds
Police have completed the investigation into the criminal case of the company «CityStroy,» which deceived hundreds of residents of Rostov Oblast during the construction of private houses. This was announced at a press conference by the deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for Rostov Oblast — head of the Investigative Department Yulia Odnoravlova. According to her, three suspects have been charged with fraud in 288 episodes of crimes. The case will soon be sent to court.
Only two are currently in custody — Yevgeny Pavlovsky and his former wife. The third suspect — Arutyun Arutyunyan — is on the run. It is believed that he is in Armenia. Police have declared him wanted, including through Interpol.
According to the investigation, the criminal group was formed in 2018, when Pavlovsky met Arutyunyan. The latter worked at one of the banks, handling mortgage issuance to citizens, including for the construction of private houses.
«They met in the context of relationships in the construction and lending sphere. After that, a criminal group was formed to carry out criminal plans,» Odnoravlova said.
161.RU detailed the story of «CityStroy» in this article.
There are currently about 300 victims in the case, including about 40 people — these are family members of participants in the special military operation. The overwhelming majority of victims are from Rostov Oblast, but there are also families from Crimea, Voronezh, and Krasnodar Krai.
At the same time, Odnoravlova says, the list of victims is unlikely to be final. For example, in January, police found another 10 victims of «CityStroy,» and separate proceedings have been initiated for them.
«There are victims to whom Pavlovsky said: »Don«t report us, and we»ll finish building your house first.« And so there are people who sit and stay silent, believing that if they don»t come to us and ask for help, they will be the first to get their money back. How many people they persuaded to stay silent, we don«t know, but we understand and admit that such a possibility exists,» Odnoravlova said.
She added that Pavlovsky, after the investigation began, did indeed want to finish building people«s houses. That»s why he wasn«t immediately taken into custody.
«We gave him some time so that he could take out a loan or find another opportunity to finish the houses. And after the period we gave him expired, he was detained and he and his former wife were placed in custody,» Odnoravlova said.
The damage from the actions of «CityStroy» is now estimated at 1.1 billion rubles (approximately $11 million at current rates). The value of the seized property of the suspects is only 119 million rubles (approximately $1.19 million).
«Where all the money (taken from citizens) is located could not be established,» Odnoravlova says.
The article under which Pavlovsky, his former wife, and Arutyunyan will be tried provides for punishment of up to 10 years in a colony. However, police explain that considering the number of incriminated episodes, the accused could receive significantly longer prison sentences.
