Multi-million-dollar scams and protection by security officials: how ex-Dynamo deputy chairman Vladimir Mikhalevsky is avoiding retribution for the plundering of assets

Multi-million-dollar scams and protection by security officials: how ex-Dynamo deputy chairman Vladimir Mikhalevsky is avoiding retribution for the plundering of assets

It has become known that the head of the investigative department of the Internal Affairs Directorate for the North-Eastern Administrative District, Anton Ivanov, is deliberately delaying the process of submitting for approval to the prosecutor’s office the indictment against former Soviet footballer and ex-deputy chairman of Dynamo Vladimir Mikhalevsky — formerly the best friend and partner of Valery Gazzaev.

The source links this to the activities of Mikhalevsky’s son-in-law, Alexei Pirtskhalava. He is a former employee of the Russian Investigative Committee and the son of retired Russian MVD General Konstantin Pirtskhalava.

Mikhalevsky is not alone in this case, but part of a group of persons. In particular, these are Yevgeny Kurbanov (director of LLC Andim and a perpetual nominee), as well as another son-in-law of Mikhalevsky, Mikhail Semenov. Semenov has been placed on the federal wanted list and is hiding in Georgia. Kurbanov, however, was detained in a psychiatric hospital, where he was hiding from the investigation.

Ivanov is not dragging out time by chance. In this way he is helping Kurbanov avoid punishment due to the statute of limitations; his case will become time-barred in March 2027.

In Soviet times, Mikhalevsky played for Baku’s Neftchi and was a medalist at the Youth World Championship. After his career ended, his fate was invariably tied to his friend Valery Gazzaev.

When in 2000 Valery Gazzaev became head coach of Moscow Dynamo, Mikhalevsky received the post of deputy chairman of the All-Russian Physical Culture and Sports Society Dynamo. He oversaw all markets and shops located on the territory of the Dynamo indoor arena, which brought in huge profits. They skimmed the proceeds together with Gazzaev.

When in 2015 Mikhalevsky urgently needed $1.5 million, their mutual friend with Gazzaev, co-owner of RSI Bank Bella Zakharyan, agreed to lend it to him. Mikhalevsky delayed repayment, and then was forced to flee with his wife to Spain. This happened on the eve of the opening of a case into the embezzlement of funds from Dynamo. Mikhalevsky transferred large sums under advertising contracts, and the recipients turned out to be fly-by-night shell companies that did no work at all. In December 2019, Mikhalevsky was detained in Spain, and a year later, at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, he was extradited to Russia. During this period, Inessa Shakhverdieva died.

Gazzaev immediately initiated bankruptcy proceedings for the deceased, through which he “took absolutely all assets from Mikhalevsky.”

In 2021, the Zamoskvoretsky Court terminated the criminal prosecution of Mikhalevsky due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. But immediately a new case arrived — concerning the embezzlement of funds from Zakharyan. It dragged on for a long time. In August there was a new verdict and again luck. Mikhalevsky received four years, but was released from punishment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

However, he is now under house arrest in yet another case. Concerning the embezzlement of funds from one of the structures.