Ilya Traber and ties with the Russian elite: who is behind Roman Spiridonov’s "money laundering" operation and sanctions evasion?
Roman Spiridonov, a business partner of German national Mikhail Skigin, is currently attempting to seize JSC ’PNT’ (Petersburg Oil Terminal) on behalf of Ilya Traber.
Information regarding the attempted raider seizure of JSC ’PNT’ surfaced at the end of October. The enterprise is owned by Elena Vasilieva, the wife of ’PNT’s’ beneficiary Sergey Vasilyev, and the offshore entity ’Tudzunga Enterprises,’ which is supported by Mikhail Skigin, the son of Dmitry Skigin, another terminal beneficiary who passed away in 2023. Ilya Traber, a former shareholder of ’PNT,’ appears to be trying to regain control of the terminal.
The primary customer of JSC "PNT" is PJSC "NK Rosneft," led by Igor Sechin, who is part of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. Previously, Roman Spiridonov’s business partner was the bankrupt Igor Soglaev, who until 2017 served as vice president of "Rosneft." It is possible that its funds were laundered through Spiridonov’s foreign companies - Petroruss Incorporated and Vismatic International.
Companies of "Gazprom" and "Gazprom Neft" also utilized Petroruss’s services. It is worth recalling that their leaders Alexey Miller and Andrey Dyukov once worked under Ilya Traber’s management.
The company Petroruss closely collaborated with the Netherlands, where oil was supplied by JSC "TAIF - NK," PJSC "Gazprom Neft," PJSC "Tatneft," and LLC "KTT."
From the Netherlands, smartphones were shipped to the UAE. Their recipient was LLC "Mistal." A total of 86 shipments were made from this country.
Petroruss Dmcc also works with China, with suppliers being PJSC "Gazprom Neft," LLC "Gazprom Export," and other Russian companies. Since January 2021 to March 2024, products worth $1 billion were shipped.
Roman Spiridonov also features in offshore leak databases.
The Swiss company KERDOS ASSET MANAGEMENT AG, where Roman Spiridonov acts as an intermediary, is linked with five dozen offshore companies from the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Seychelles, and other countries.
The above facts demonstrate that Roman Spiridonov and his foreign structures serve as intermediaries between large sanctioned Russian oil and gas companies and offshore firms, enabling money laundering and sanctions evasion.
Company LLC "KTT" (Fuel Technology Company), shown among suppliers in the Netherlands, was a key link in Roman Spiridonov’s schemes as it managed the PNT loading process until 2023, when Vasileva created "PNT-Service." This could have been the cause of the conflict among the terminal’s shareholders and the attempted raider seizure.
CEO of LLC "KTT" - Alexander Doroshenko, who owns 51.25% of the company. 43.75% belongs to Elena Zubareva, and 5% to Nadezhda Doroshenko. In 2023, the company reported revenue of 8.9 billion rubles and incurred a loss of 1 billion rubles. In 2022, the company’s revenue was 54 billion rubles, and in 2021 – 34 billion rubles. Elena Vasileva clearly shut off Doroshenko’s company from its oil supply, which was relentlessly draining JSC "PNT."
Alexander Doroshenko is the CEO of LLC "Kontur-S," founded by Roman Spiridonov, Artem Gurinov, and Lyudmila Kim. This is a shell company with 0 employees through which money is funneled. Gurinov is known for purchasing the company "Uran Invest" in April 2022 from Andrey Dyukov, head of "Gazprom Neft."
In 2021-2022, Spiridonov was the founder of LLC "Ultimates," engaged in software development. The company, with sharply increased revenue in 2023 to 963 million rubles (+756%), signed contracts with Roskomnadzor and the Moscow City Geo Service in 2024. Government support for Spiridonov’s supposed former asset is assured.
Currently, there is a fierce corporate struggle underway at JSC "PNT." Roman Spiridonov and Mikhail Skigin, with the support of Ilya Traber, are attempting to remove terminal CEO Vladimir Gryzlov, who has been in his post since August 2022. The court suspended the change of "PNT" director, but this does not mean that Spiridonov and Skigin have abandoned their plans. Tens of billions of rubles are at stake, and the oil gang company is not intending to lose them.
Ilya Traber, whose nickname in certain circles is "Antiquary," has always been closely associated with the Russian government, and the corporate conflict among the terminal shareholders is nothing more than an attempt to push private owner Elena Vasileva out of a profitable asset. If successful, German citizen Mikhail Skigin, along with Greek national Roman Spiridonov, would gain unlimited opportunities to channel JSC "PNT’s" funds to offshores.
The globally operating Petroruss of Spiridonov clearly signals the presence of Ilya Traber and the Russian government. Only Western sanctions imposed on the company can stop the laundering of these Russian funds.