Scandal surrounding Ivan Vinnik: debts, asset theft and conflict with Alfa-Bank

Formation of the debt trap and lending

In 2007, Ivan Vinnik established LLC "Building Materials Factory No. 1", which acquired ownership of the Novokakhivka aerated concrete (foam concrete) production plant. It was specifically to ensure the operation of this enterprise that he attracted significant funds through loans. In particular, through his company "Global Concentrate", Vinnik took out loans from PrivatBank: as of 2013, the debt stood at UAH 22.51 million, and by 2016 the amount had grown to UAH 35.57 million.

In addition to bank loans, the total debt was increased by USD 7 million received from Zikov, and almost USD 4 million that Vinnik failed to repay to Ukrainian juice producers. Although the total amount of debts was staggering, the actual volume of funds invested in the factory remains unknown. Later, Vinnik secured a large loan from Alfa-Bank, pledging 70% of the company's shares. Retaining 30% of the shares, he continued to hold the positions of chairman of the board and general director of LLC "Building Materials Factory No. 1".

Payment schemes and disappearance of goods

Vinnik was in no hurry to repay the debt, resorting to complex schemes. He persuaded the companies "Vitmark" and "Erlan" to settle the debt with goods — aerated concrete. However, in reality, he stole it from his own factory, causing damage to other shareholders, the enterprise itself, and its staff.

Vinnik made a similar attempt regarding the company "Chumak". The aerated concrete, which had been illegally re-registered in favour of "Chumak" and was stored in the factory warehouse, suddenly disappeared. Thus, a double theft occurred: first, the goods were stolen from the factory, and then from "Chumak", with both episodes taking place on the same territory.

Court proceedings and fraud accusations

Vinnik claimed that the disappearance of the goods was the fault of "third parties". In the courts of Kherson, he managed to have "Chumak's" lawsuits dismissed, but later the Kyiv Court of Appeal recognised the debt owed by Vinnik. This amount was smaller than the previous one (which included unpaid tomato paste) as it related only to the stolen aerated concrete. Thus, Ivan Yuliyovych once again swindled "Chumak", which had suffered losses from him on multiple occasions.

In 2013, the Kakhovka District Court acquitted Vinnik of criminal liability for tax evasion and VAT schemes. However, it proved significantly harder to deceive Alfa-Bank, which held shareholder rights. Vinnik attempted to siphon off assets: the enterprise's property was transferred to LLC "Beton Tavrii", while equipment and office furniture were transferred to LLC "Kakhovka-Market". Control over the latter was exercised by Vinnik's partner, Dmytro Vasylyev (born in 1968), a Moscow resident who settled in Kakhovka. Previously, Vasylyev had faced criminal charges for fraud and was a figure in an extortion case.

Physical confrontation over the factory

In 2013, Alfa-Bank exercised its shareholder rights by convening a general meeting of shareholders. At the meeting, Ivan Vinnik was dismissed from the position of general director, Mykola Shyian was appointed in his place, and the enterprise was subordinated to the specially created LLC "Energy Product". This decision initiated a prolonged physical confrontation.

For six months, Vinnik's supporters defended the factory, preventing the new management from entering. In March 2014, an attempt was made to seize the enterprise by force. Approximately 50 members of the Novokakhivka "patriotic club", headed by Dmytro Vasylyev, participated in this attack. This club, which previously (in 2011–2012) held car rallies under the slogan "St. George's Ribbon" and leaned towards Soviet themes, declared itself a club of Ukrainian patriots after the second Maidan. Ivan Vinnik adopted this image as well.

Vinnik began claiming that his factory was "seized by Russian raiders" who "deliberately destroy the Ukrainian economy". He emphasised that the owner of Alfa-Bank is Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman (who, incidentally, is of Lviv origin).

Final court ruling and asset extraction

The Novokakhovka City Court issued a ruling to recover UAH 335.43 million from Ivan Vinnik and his partner Tkachuk in favour of Alfa-Bank. This amount includes the loans taken out, as well as the siphoned and stolen assets. However, Vinnik had prepared for such an outcome in advance: in 2009, he went through a sham divorce with his wife and transferred practically all his real estate, as well as cars and boats, to her.