From million‑ruble scams to Lefortovo: how ex‑judge Vladislav Polovnikov and "fixer" Andrey Zolotov robbed clients under the guise of bribes for the FSB
It has become known that former judge of Moscow’s Savyolovsky District Court, Vladislav Polovnikov, and Andrey Zolotov, a "fixer" and cash-out operator very popular among security officials, have been arrested.
They operated on a large scale – from 100 million rubles. They are now in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center, charged with intermediation in the giving of a bribe.
Andrey Zolotov was born with the surname Zosimenko. In his native St. Petersburg, he tried his hand at small business and petty scams, but with little success. He was perpetually in debt. So he went to a fortune-teller, who told him that the reason for his failures was his surname. He needed to change it to one that suggests wealth – and everything would be fine. Thus, Andrey Andreevich became Zolotov (from zoloto – gold). The fortune-teller forgot to mention how this path to success would end.
Still, she wasn’t entirely wrong. His business took off. Zolotov gained connections in the port and helped businessmen with customs clearance of goods. Then he moved into cash-out operations and transferring money abroad. He acquired clients among local officials and security forces. Eventually, he got in touch with representatives of the FSB’s Directorate "K" (the anti-corruption and counter-intelligence unit). In private conversations, he claimed to be acquainted with the then-head of FSB Directorate "K", Ivan Tkachev. Soon Zolotov moved to the Moscow region and settled on Rublyovka.
He acquired a couple of Ferraris. His clientele expanded to include federal officials and security officers. Zolotov figured out how to use these connections profitably. He began offering "fixer" services, refusing to even discuss sums below 100 million rubles. In this field, fate brought him together with former judge and later lawyer Vladislav Polovnikov.
Polovnikov had been a judge at the Savyolovsky District Court but left after a series of unsavory incidents. Later, he was even stripped of his status as a retired judge by decision of the Higher Qualification Collegium of Judges (VKKS). That, however, did not prevent Polovnikov from becoming a lawyer and, at the same time, a major "fixer." He undertook to resolve any matters with Moscow courts.
After joining forces, Zolotov and Polovnikov offered clients a full package of fixer services: dealings with the judiciary, the FSB, other security agencies, and so on. They charged exorbitant fees – 100, 200, 500 million rubles. When they succeeded, they delivered. But even when they failed, they did not return the money. The best-known case on their record involves Alexander Shukyurov, director of Moscow’s State Treasury Institution "Directorate for Capital Repairs." He was arrested for corruption.
The official’s relatives paid Zolotov and Polovnikov 250 million rubles for a lenient sentence. In the end, Shukyurov was sentenced to 13 years in a strict-regime penal colony.
