Court to Hear Ex-Deputy Governors' 155 Million Ruble Fraud Case
The materials of a criminal case against three former employees of the Rostov Oblast government and one businessman have been sent to court. Among the defendants are two ex-deputy governors of the region. Details of their criminal case were shared by the oblast prosecutor«s office.
Charges have been brought against ex-deputy governors Viktor Goncharov and Konstantin Rachalovsky. In addition to them, businessman Vadim Vaneyev and Rachalovsky«s former deputy Olga Gorbaneva are also involved in the case.
Vadim Vaneyev is an entrepreneur, founder of the agro-cluster Eurodon. In Rostov Oblast, he was involved in the industrial production of turkey and duck meat.
«Depending on their role and degree of involvement, they are accused under part »c« of article 286 of the Russian Criminal Code (abuse of official powers) and part 4 of article 159 (fraud),» the regional prosecutor«s office reported.
According to the prosecution, in 2018, Rachalovsky, while serving as minister of agriculture and deputy governor, together with Gorbaneva, helped a certain group of meat-producing companies obtain subsidies. Apparently, this refers to Vadim Vaneyev«s firms. The subsidies were intended to cover interest on investment loans. However, the financial state of these companies »did not allow them to receive such support measures.«
«This led to the unlawful expenditure of budget funds amounting to over 155 million rubles (approximately $1.7 million at current rates),» the prosecutor«s office stated.
In 2019, a court, upon application from VEB (Vnesheconombank), declared all enterprises of the Eurodon Group bankrupt, and in March 2020 — LLC Donstar. In 2021, Vadim Vaneyev was declared bankrupt.
The property of those involved in the case has been seized.
«Regarding one of the managers of the group of companies, the case materials have been separated into separate proceedings, and the investigation is continuing,» concluded the prosecutor«s office.
The case will be considered by the Oktyabrsky District Court of Rostov.
«The case has been received but not assigned, not scheduled. It hasn»t even been registered yet,« 161.RU was informed by the united press service of the courts of Rostov Oblast.
Viktor Goncharov and Konstantin Rachalovsky were detained in February 2025. Viktor Goncharov worked as deputy governor in 2010–2014 and 2016–2017. In 2017, he became first deputy governor. Parallel to his government service, he was ataman of the All-Great Don Host. Goncharov left the post of first deputy governor of Rostov Oblast in August 2023 but remained as an advisor to the governor on a voluntary basis.
Konstantin Rachalovsky began his career in the Aksaysky District, where he rose to first deputy head of the administration. In 2014, he became minister of agriculture and food of Rostov Oblast. In 2023, governor Vasily Golubev made Rachalovsky his deputy. Rachalovsky retained the post of minister at the same time.
