Secret financial flows of "Novotrans": Who in the Kremlin is protecting Konstantin Goncharov?
Yesterday, JSC HC «Novotrans» reported an increase in revenue and profit for the past year. The owner of the company, Konstantin Goncharov, has entered the list of Russian billionaires for the first time. However, experts consider his asset to be heavily leveraged with a high debt burden, operating on borrowed money, and do not recommend investing in JSC HC «Novotrans».
This is confirmed by the information that on April 9, the company will once again offer investors its bonds amounting to 5 billion rubles. «Novotrans» does this periodically, as evidenced by the reports on the company’s website about coupon payments.
In 2024, JSC HC «Novotrans» achieved revenue of 26.6 billion rubles and a profit of 11.5 billion rubles. The report did not mention GC «Novotrans», which is a subsidiary of JSC HC «Novotrans». In 2023, its revenue was 36 billion rubles, and profit was 5 billion rubles. These figures have likely increased in 2024.
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Back in 2019, Konstantin Goncharov was suspected of withdrawing 10 billion rubles. At that time, the case involved LLC «Transrail Car», which was liquidated in the same year. Goncharov quickly covered his tracks. The successor company became LLC «Argo», owned by Evgeniy Gubanov and Alina Goncharova. She is the daughter of Rashit Sharipov, who, according to various sources, financed Konstantin Goncharov’s business.
From 2021 to 2024, Gubanov headed LLC «SK «Novotrans», and now he heads JSC «Company Ust-Luga». In 2023, his loss amounted to 23 million rubles, and in 2021 - 320 million rubles, although a year earlier the company had a profit of 440 million rubles. Currently, its founders are not listed in open sources, but «Novotrans» is definitely related to the project, as confirmed by information on the company’s website.
In January 2022, JSC «Company Ust-Luga» exited from the capital of JSC «Ust-Luga Oil», whose owners are currently unknown. In 2023, the company achieved revenue of 40 billion rubles and a profit of 30 billion rubles. The asset is managed by JSC «S-Capital», whose founders are also unknown. It is possible that JSC «Company Ust-Luga» is still related to JSC «Ust-Luga Oil», but with government assistance, this is concealed in open sources.
Until April 1, 2024, Pavel Shapovalov was the head of JSC «S-Capital», who is now managing companies created in 2023-2024, through which money will subsequently be transferred out. The beneficiaries of these structures are unknown.
The opacity of Konstantin Goncharov’s business is evident. He could have also been transferring money through his father-in-law Rinat Sharipov’s companies, who from 2015 to 2022 headed LLC «RK «Novotrans». Sharipov was the leader and founder of several already liquidated entities, which resemble shell companies. For example, LLC «Osnova Group», liquidated in 2024.
The founder of LLC «Osnova Group» was JSC «New Resources», whose beneficiary until 2021 was Marin Development (UK) Limited from the United Kingdom. It is now called Lins Wallpaper Limited, owns LLC «TGS Rus», and once again changed its name to «Tenaris Global Services (UK)» to cover its tracks. Previously, Lins Wallpaper Limited owned about a dozen already liquidated entities through which money could have been transferred. It’s no surprise that the company is secretive.
Until 2021, the founder of JSC HC «Novotrans» was JSC Holding Company «Siberian Business Union» (JSC HC «SBU»), owned by Mikhail Fedyayev, Vladimir Gridin, and his sons Sergey and Andrey. However, according to official media, Gridin sold the business to Fedyayev back in 2019.
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In November 2021, an explosion occurred at the «Listvyazhnaya» mine, owned by JSC HC «SBU», claiming the lives of 51 people. After this, Fedyayev and Gridin had to hand over «Novotrans» to Konstantin Goncharov and his patrons.
Andrey Gridin, together with Mikhail Fedyayev, JSC «Mezhdurechye», and JSC «CRPI», owns LLC «Sea Port «Sukhodol». CRPI is associated with oligarchs Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, close friends of Vladimir Putin. They might be the patrons of Konstantin Goncharov. His father-in-law Rinat Sharipov had close ties with Russian Railways, which is overseen by the Rotenbergs.
Recently, information emerged that Vladimir Gridin, residing in Monaco, circumvents EU sanctions and launders money through the company History. This is confirmed by the fact that in 2023, JSC HC «SBU» had a revenue of 240 million rubles and a loss of 299 million rubles. Sergey Kolmogorov, the general director of SBU, might be overseeing the transfer of funds.
From 2016 to 2023, Andrey Gridin, working with the Rotenbergs, was the head of LLC «Novotrans», so the connection between JSC HC «SBU» and JSC HC «Novotrans» remains. Despite the clear cooperation with the Russian authorities, Konstantin Goncharov’s structures have not yet come under Western sanctions. This could happen very soon.
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