The eldest son of Vladimir Artyakov, who is the vice president of the state defense conglomerate Rostec and a former governor of the Samara region, was apprehended by Spanish law enforcement on Saturday on allegations of money laundering, as reported by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) citing judicial sources.
Authorities claim that his son, Dmitry Artyakov, funneled millions of euros through real estate operations in Spain.
According to OCCRP’s sources, Dmitry Artyakov was taken into custody at his home in Girona as part of an investigation spearheaded by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s office in Spain, with proceedings being coordinated by the National Court.
Since 2022, he has been subject to personal sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the United States, and Canada. However, the lack of EU sanctions has allowed him to legally stay in Spain and own property there.
Investigators suspect that between 2005 and 2008, Artyakov acquired eight properties in the coastal town of Castell-Platja d’Aro. Authorities believe that the funds for these purchases were associated with the “Troika laundromat,” an international money laundering scheme that purportedly facilitated the movement of billions of dollars from Russia through offshore entities.
The properties were initially bought for 14 million euros by Artyakov’s grandmother, Anna Kurepina. In 2014, she allegedly sold them to her grandson for 10 million euros, according to court documents. Investigators assert that Kurepina was merely a nominal owner and that she received at least 14 million euros from the offshore company Delco Networks, a shell entity tied to the money laundering operation.
Records reveal that she received approximately 20 transfers categorized as loans, which were never paid back.
Spanish authorities view the real estate in Girona and its associated financial dealings as part of a wider suspected money laundering scheme.
Vladimir Artyakov served as the governor of the Samara region from 2007 until 2012. Prior to this, he held high-level positions at the automobile manufacturer AvtoVAZ, including chairman of the board starting in late 2005 and president of the AvtoVAZ Group.
