KIEV. August 1. UNN. The high Court in London from 25 to 31 July 2018 held a series of hearings on the suit of JSC CB “PrivatBank” to the previous owners financial institutions — to the Ukrainian businessmen Igor Kolomoisky and Gennady Bogolyubov regarding the organization of fraudulent schemes withdrawals in the amount of 1.9 billion U.S. dollars. His statement about the proceedings has published a press-service “PrivatBank”, reports UNN.

“During the hearing, senior lawyer of “PrivatBank” Steven Smith explained that in the period from April 2013 to August 2014, Mr. Kolomoisky, and Mr. Bogolyubov organized the roguish scheme for the provision of 46 loans to borrowers to pay for 54 imaginary “supply contracts” to supply incredible quantities of commodities such as manganese ore, pet and Apple juice concentrate, and schemes of lending, to hide fraudulent actions”, — said in a statement.

The hearing in the High court began on Wednesday, July 25, and ended on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, with judge Mr justice of Pancarta. During the hearing, the Bank presented to the High Court to the detailed arguments and evidence on a claim and judicial order of a world-wide seizure of assets, which was issued for securing a claim.

The claim, as a basis for a court order about the arrest of assets, including the statement, Mr Kolomoisky and Mr Bogolyubov misappropriated from the Bank, 1.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2014 through the conclusion of a number of alleged trades, which had the consequence of the transfer of funds to companies they secretly owned or controlled.

As noted, loans were granted without proper approval or inspection while the supply contracts were signed as cover, allowing to pay 1.9 billion dollars to the six companies:

  • TEAMTREND (UK)LIMITED
  • AGRO TRADE POINT LIMITED (United Kingdom)
  • COLLYER (UK)LIMITED
  • ROSSYN INVESTING CORP (British virgin Islands)
  • MILBERT VENTURES INC. (British virgin Islands)
  • ZAO UKRTRANSITSERVICE LTD (British virgin Islands).

See ALSO: NBU: Kroll confirmed the damage to PrivatBank to the nationalization of 5.5 billion dollars

According to “Privat”, none of the companies has a web page, offices, employees, warehouse space, labor, or any other public presence. This scheme was the embodiment of the idea of Mr Kolomoisky and Mr Bogolyubov, who at that time owned more than 90% of the shares of the Bank and members of its Supervisory Board.

“It was a very important hearing and a significant step in the Bank obtaining appropriate compensation funds that were illegally awarded by his former owners. We are confident that London’s High Court will be impartial and fair when considering the questions put to him,” — said the head of direction of legal support of “PrivatBank” Yaroslav Matuska.

At the law firm, which serves the interests of the plaintiff, noted the existence of a fundamental evidence of the guilt of the former owners.

“The strength of the requirements of the Bank reflected in the recognition by the Defendants that the Bank has reasonable for trial the case against them of fraud. The Bank completely trusts the English court in the administration of justice in the case”, — said the partner of the international law firm Hogan Lovells, Richard Lewis.

READ ALSO: the Court has forbidden to collect and disseminate information about Kolomoisky

We will remind, 19 December 2017, a London court issued an order on a worldwide seizure of assets Kolomoisky and Bogolyubov, and the six companies that they may belong to or are under their control. The decision was approved on the basis of the claim nationalized “PrivatBank”. The plaintiffs argue that the businessmen are taken out of the Bank $ 1.9 billion, after a series of illegal operations. On 25 January, the court extended the arrest of assets amounting to more than 2.5 billion U.S. dollars.

In mid-March 2018, London’s High court ordered the structures associated with Kolomoisky and Bogolyubov, detailing information about the operations of the Bank for $ 1.9 billion received from others.

March 20, Kolomoisky said that there is no independent investigation conducted by Kroll regarding “PrivatBank” . From March 2018, ex-Bank owners, as well as associated offshore and individuals have begun to file dozens of lawsuits in the Ukrainian courts, which challenge the procedure of nationalization and require compensation for the associated financial losses.

Thus, the former shareholders of the “PrivatBank” dispute the applicability of the jurisdiction of the High court of London in the time of the lawsuit, nationalized by Ukraine of the financial institution.