two top managers of Baltika detained for brand fraud – Kommersant

Two top managers of Baltika were detained as part of a criminal case of fraud on an especially large scale, the St. Petersburg publication reported “Fontanka”. The status of the defendants and their names are not specified, but, as Fontanka writes, “another suspect managed to leave Russia.” Today, November 16, a trial is scheduled to take place to select a preventive measure.

According to Fontanka, one and a half dozen searches were carried out at the Baltika office and at its top managers by the Main Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for St. Petersburg with the support of the operational economic security service of the FSB. Company employees were interviewed and documents were confiscated.

Initially, a criminal case was initiated under the article on causing property damage by deception or abuse of trust (Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), but later the case was reclassified as fraud on an especially large scale (Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

According to the investigation, before President Vladimir Putin’s decree on the transfer of Baltika’s shares from Carlsberg to the temporary management of the Federal Property Management Agency, foreign structures affiliated with Carlsberg received the right to lease Baltika’s Russian brands for 40 years. Products under these brands are also produced abroad. According to the investigation, for example, one of the Russian brands – Zatecky Gus – was leased retroactively in order to avoid the effect of the presidential decree.

Carlsberg, after Russia sent troops to Ukraine, decided to exit the Russian business and planned to sell Baltika to the Arnest group, which had previously bought Heineken’s Russian assets. Plans for the deal were announced in June. In July, President Vladimir Putin signed decree on the transfer of shares in Baltika to the temporary management of the Federal Property Management Agency. Explaining the transfer of assets of Carlsberg and Danone under state management, Mr. Putin saidthat the management of these companies tried to intimidate their employees, Russian citizens.

In early October, Carlsberg responded to a presidential decree stopped licensing agreements with the Baltika brewing company. CEO of the Danish brewing company Jacob Aarup-Andersen named the decision of the Russian authorities is theft.

Read more about the situation in the Kommersant article. “Tuborg is not merging from Russia”.

Leonid Uvarchev