Journalists discovered a network of 900 Russian-related companies in Great Britain

A legal company owned by a citizen of Russia has opened more than 900 legal entities in Great Britain. With their help, Russian businessmen and officials could hide from sanctions. This is stated in an investigation by the BBC, the British NGO Finance Uncovered and the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation.

Since 2017, the legal company “Alfa consulting” registered in the Seychelles has registered every fifth limited liability partnership in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its manager is Russian Viktoria Valkovskaya, the company’s offices were opened in Moscow and London. At least some of these companies helped hide the real owners of the assets from the British authorities, the investigation says. In addition, Alfa provided other services to Russians who were afraid of Western sanctions.

As stated in the material, “Alfa Consulting” helped the company of the former owner of PMC “Wagner” Evgeny Prigozhin to create a legal entity in the Seychelles, registering it under the mother-in-law of a Russian. She provided a director for one of the companies of Vladimir Putin’s friend, former Minister of Communications Leonid Reiman. The appointed director did not register Reiman as a politically significant person, which could help his company avoid additional checks.

One of the companies registered as “Alfoy” for a Russian owner paid for the services of an American lobbyist for the Albanian politician Lulzim Basha. He has been the head of the parliamentary opposition in the country for more than 8 years and has held several ministerial posts.

In particular, he headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Transport. Last year, several world media, citing sources in the American government and intelligence, reported that Basha could receive financing from Russia for the election campaign under the slogan “We will make Albania great again” (he denies this).

The Valkovskaya company is recommended to Russian citizens in the Seychelles by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radio Svoboda has learned. In the list of lawyers on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is noted that Valkovskaya has experience working with Russians and the opportunity to provide legal assistance at the expense of the state.

“Alfa” told investigative journalists in a comment that they always follow the law strictly. The company stated that it does not act in the interests of clients or intermediaries who, in its opinion, were involved in violations. The connection with Prigozhin’s business is denied there. The company did not find any information that would allow former Minister Reiman to be included in the list of politically significant persons, says her reply.