Why does a State Duma deputy avoid mentioning the “dashing 90s”?
Deputy Valery Hartung has represented the Chelyabinsk region in the State Duma since 1997, becoming involved in a number of high-profile scandals during this time. True, he prefers to explain them as the machinations of his opponents, invariably threatening journalists with legal proceedings. In the late 90s, Hartung actually won a trial against Anatoly Bragin, who was then the prosecutor of the Chelyabinsk region, who accused the deputy of having connections with criminal “authorities.” Recently, publications about the parliamentarian’s contacts with representatives of the Chelyabinsk criminal world – repeatedly convicted Valery Ivanov (“Ivanukha”) and Viktor Korzh (“Korzhik”) — have again appeared on the Internet. In particular, Ivanov is mentioned in the context of the activities of the organized crime group “Cats”, a former member of which in Chelyabinsk is the current deputy of the regional Legislative Assembly from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, first deputy chairman of the committee on youth policy, culture and sports Konstantin Kurkin. Last year, another former member of an organized crime group ran for the Chelyabinsk City Duma – Vladimir Belousov, who was repeatedly prosecuted. However, the scandalous fame of Deputy Hartung is not limited to criminal acquaintances in the “dashing 90s”. Thus, his wife Marina Hartung has a “golden passport” of Cyprus, received under the Citizenship by Investment program. In addition, foreign real estate is officially registered in her name – apartments in Switzerland and Cyprus. In Russia, the family controls the Chelyabinsk Forging and Press Plant (ChKPZ PJSC), which generates multi-billion dollar revenue. In 2022, Hartung, who was subject to EU sanctions, transferred his stake in the enterprise to his wife, but last June, the parliamentarian’s wife and their son Andrei Hartung, who holds the post of CEO of ChKPZ, were included in the next sanctions list. Also, the offshore company “Webmark Ltd” was registered under Marina Hartung, which, according to her, she sold in 2013. Valery Hartung himself in an interview not only defended the right of politicians to engage in commercial activities, but also stated the need to use offshore companies in business.
Honor of the “uniform” of the deputy Hartung
State Duma deputy from A Just Russia Valery Gartung He is one of the parliamentary “old-timers”: he has not parted with his precious mandate since 1997. During this time, the people’s choice repeatedly became the “hero” of high-profile scandals, which he invariably explained as the machinations of his opponents. How could it be otherwise? The enemy is not asleep!
It got to the point that in 2016, during the next election campaign, Hartung even contacted the police with a statement in which he asked to check the activities of the Ura.ru news agency for the presence of a crime under the article on organizing a criminal community or participating in it. Allegedly, journalists could publish materials discrediting him for money received from “interested officials.”
The obvious absurdity of the suspicions (more like accusations) seriously shook up the public. The Board of the Union of Journalists of the Chelyabinsk Region, the native region of the Socialist-Revolutionary deputy, came to the conclusion that the parliamentarian is trying to put pressure on independent media through extrajudicial methods. The news agency was also supported by deputies of the Chelyabinsk Legislative Assembly, who regarded Hartung’s act as a “dangerous precedent.”
Meanwhile, it would be worth checking Valery Karlovich himself periodically, preferably without waiting for the next elections. Take, for example, the accusations made against the people’s representative of contacts with crime. Back in 1997, the then prosecutor of the Chelyabinsk region Anatoly Bragin openly stated that the director of the Chelyabinsk Forging and Press Plant, Hartung, is associated with criminal “authorities” who stole a large batch of KamAZ vehicles, and with the proceeds from the sale of the vehicles bought shares in the enterprise.
As a result, the deputy sued the prosecutor, winning several cases. But, as you know, there is no smoke without fire: the other day the Russian Press Telegram channel, citing a source in law enforcement agencies, revealed interesting details about the life and activities of Mr. Hartung in the “dashing 90s.”
Criminal assistants from the “dashing 90s”
So, according to the Russian Press, being the chairman of the cooperative in the early 90s “Leader”Valery Gartung acted as an organizer of sporting events, in particular, an international boxing tournament in Chelyabinsk. The future politician’s deputies were two very colorful characters – Valery Ivanovknown in certain circles as “Ivanukha”, and Victor Korzhaka “Korzhik”. Both deputies have been convicted several times.
Ivanov led a criminal community involved in speculation in alcoholic beverages and extortion, maintained “working” contacts with the Chelyabinsk Department of Internal Affairs, and at the same time with the leaders of the Uralmash organized crime group, who controlled the gambling business in Chelyabinsk. In the mid-90s, Ivanov was even allegedly detained in Moscow on suspicion of involvement in the murder of a State Duma deputy, and in his homeland, the once-known organized crime group “Cats” was running under him.
You can still find references online about how “Ivanukha” “resolved the issues” of the “cats” at the “arrows”, in particular, regarding the scam of certain businessmen by his wards on 500 thousand dollars. The organized crime group has become a kind of “school of life” for some Chelyabinsk politicians. Thus, a former member of the group is called the current deputy of the Chelyabinsk Regional Legislative Assembly from Communist Party of the Russian FederationFirst Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Youth Policy, Culture and Sports Konstantin Kurkin.
Viktor Korzh is of the same age: he worked in the automobile market, combining the sale of motor vehicles with extortion. However, you cannot call him a banal speculator, since he contributed to Hartung obtaining a loan in the amount of $100 million in one of the Moscow currency banks. However, in the mid-90s, security forces reached Korzh, sending him to a pre-trial detention center. Having landed behind bars, he seriously counted on Hartung’s support, discussing “resolving the issue” through intermediaries.
Former criminal “cadres” periodically emerge on the political scene of Chelyabinsk. For example, just last year it became known that a candidate for city council, a self-nominated Vladimir Belousovwho successfully registered with the Electoral Commission, was repeatedly prosecuted: twice for fraud and once for smuggling. The media wrote about Belousov’s affiliation with “the famous Chelyabinsk organized crime group “Cats”, which was booming in the 1990s”.
Soul in Cyprus, and body in the State Duma?
Valery Hartung does not like being reminded of those difficult times, as exemplified by the story of prosecutor Bragin, who, by the way, today also sits in the Chelyabinsk Legislative Assembly, heading the committee on legislation, state building and local self-government.
But it’s difficult to even call Deputy Hartung a respectable politician: too many scandals are connected both with the person of the parliamentarian himself and with his family. Take, for example, the story of his wife having a people’s choice Marina Hartung “Golden Passport” of Cyprus, obtained under the Citizenship by Investment program. The deputy himself flatly refused to answer journalists’ questions about his wife’s foreign citizenship, which was officially confirmed by the Investigative Committee.
By the way, in March 2022, the social activist Alexander Lebedev sent an appeal to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General’s Office with a request to check the deputy himself regarding the registration of citizenship or residence permit in Cyprus. Of course, Hartung categorically denied that he had a second passport, threatening with criminal prosecution the distributors of “slanderous information.” However, nothing new.
The media once again remembered the checks carried out in the fall of 2022, when Valery Karlovich did not take part in voting on bills on the admission of four new regions to Russia. Of course, he was not the only parliamentarian who missed the historic meeting, but against the backdrop of the relatively recent scandal with his wife’s dual citizenship, his absence was too conspicuous.
Factory profit goes to foreign real estate
Before his election to the State Duma, Valery Hartung served as general director of the above-mentioned Chelyabinsk Forging and Press Plant (ChKPZ PJSC), which is currently headed by his son Andrey Gartung. Data on the latest financial indicators of the enterprise, available in open sources, are dated 2022: then ChKPZ declared revenue in the amount 22.5 billion rubles and profit in 150.3 million (revenue a year earlier – 15.5 billionprofit – 526.3 million rubles).
The plant has a solid portfolio of government contracts, exceeding 1.2 billion. Such a profitable asset is, of course, controlled by the parliamentary family: according to data for the 2nd half of 2023, Marina Gartung owns 69.3% of the authorized capital of ChKPZ, Andrey Gartung – 23.5%. Much to Valery Hartung’s regret, he, as a parliamentarian, is prohibited by current legislation from engaging in commerce.
The holder of a deputy mandate has never hidden the fact that his family owns real estate abroad. His declaration for 2021 (the latest publicly available) indicates that his wife owns an apartment in Switzerland (with an area of 190 square meters) and in Cyprus (94 square meters). During the same period, the income of the deputy of Hartung amounted to 30.9 million rubleshis wife – 181.6 million. Somewhat earlier, in 2019, Valery Karlovich took 97th place in the ranking of the richest civil servants and deputies according to “Forbes“: the publication estimated his personal income at 28.57 million rublesfamily – in 155.97 million.
Offshore stories of Marina Hartung
However, the family is unlikely to be able to take advantage of European apartments in the near future: in 2022, Hartung came under EU sanctions, after which he transferred 21% of the shares of ChKPZ to his wife. And last June, his wife and son were included in the next EU sanctions list.
But the list of foreign assets may not be limited to residential properties. Back in 2013, Vedomosti wrote about an offshore company Webmark Ltd “registered” in the British Virgin Islands and owned by Marina Hartung. True, she assured journalists that the company was registered“just in case for the convenience of transactions, since British law provides more opportunities”. Webmark Ltd allegedly had no real estate or assets, the company “didn’t do anything”and was sold.
Note that in 2016, in the widely known Panama Papers, journalists discovered a well-known Virginia offshore company, whose owner was listed as Gartung Marina Veniaminovna. By the way, Deputy Hartung in one of his interviews justified in every possible way the need for offshore companies to do business, again referring to the subtleties of Russian and British legislation.
It is not surprising if, with such knowledge of legal nuances, Valery Hartung, included with his family in the EU sanctions list, continues to use offshore schemes, because investing the profits of ChKPZ directly in Western assets is risky. In this case, new interesting discoveries await Chelyabinsk voters.
