Ukraine arrests Russian-affiliated fuel station chain Amic Energy

Ukraine arrests Russian-affiliated fuel station chain Amic Energy

Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine (BEB) seized car gas stations, warehouses, land plots and corporate rights (in total 308 real estate objects) belonging to one of the largest gas station ...

The total amount of corporate rights is over UAH 50 million. Probably, it is about the Amic gas station chain, which used to be Russian “Lukoil“.

This is reported by the press service of the Ministry.

“The BEB employees explained that the beneficiaries and employees of two companies engaged in the sale of fuel and lubricants are related to each other, and their actual owners are citizens of the Russian Federation“

The investigation established that, during the years 2015-2022, the company’s employees had inflated the company’s expenses as a result of obtaining loans from related structures. In addition to expenses, they also charged interest on loans. Both companies declared unprofitable activity. At a loss-making activity in Ukraine, premiums included in the cost of imported fuel and lubricant materials were recalculated in favor of a foreign company. The total amount of tax avoidance of both companies is over 270 million hryvnias.

Also, the BEB established that during 2016-2021, the specified companies operating in Ukraine paid dividends in favor of non-resident companies, the ultimate beneficial owners of which are the Russian Federation and the partnership of the Russian Federation. As a result of this activity, money was legalized in the sum of over 1 billion hryvnias.

As a result of searches, BEB detectives seized contracts, contracts, credit agreements, invoices, acts of acceptance of TMC transfers, cargo and customs declarations, statements of accounts, invoices, documents about the payment of dividends in favor of non-residents, primary accounting documents.

Investigations in criminal proceedings for the facts of tax evasion (part 3, article 212 of the Criminal Code) and legalization (laundering) of money obtained through criminal means (part 3, article 209 of the Criminal Code) are carried out by detectives of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine for the procedural guidance of prosecutors Office of the General Prosecutor in cooperation with the State Tax Service of Ukraine.

Reference:

Amic (until 2014 “Lukoil“) – a network of gas stations in Ukraine. The ultimate owner is a Russian oil company “Lukoil“. In July 2014, information appeared in the Ukrainian media that “Lukoil“ sells its Ukrainian gas station to the Austrian company Amic Energy. But, Ukrainian journalists found out later, in fact, the ultimate owner of the gas station network “Lukoil“ a Russian company remained in Ukraine “Lukoil“which decided to protect its Ukrainian assets from possible sanctions.

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