Blinovskaya is accused of tax evasion and money laundering
Photo: Mikhail FROLOV
The debt of blogger Elena Blinovskaya to the tax service increased to 1.4 billion rubles. Let us remind you that the “mother of marathons” is now under house arrest: she is prohibited from leaving her two-story mansion (1200 square meters) in an elite rural village in New Riga. Blinovskaya, 42, is accused of tax evasion and money laundering. Initially, the Federal Tax Service submitted its claims in the amount of 918 million rubles. However, taking into account fines and sanctions, the amount of debt increased by another 500 million.
Last summer, Moscow’s Presnensky Court arrested more than 60 bank accounts, more than 20 real estate properties in different regions, four cars and about 100 million rubles in cash in various currencies. Part of this property was registered in the name of Blinovskaya’s relatives.
Ordinary people, worried about the fate of the blogger, are perplexed: how will she pay her debts if all her assets have been confiscated (according to some estimates, their total value exceeds 60 billion rubles)? After all, if she gets arrested, she won’t be able to sell anything and she won’t be able to use the money in her accounts. And in general, was it necessary to arrest everything, everyone, everything?
– Actually, everything is simple here. Within the framework of a criminal investigation, the investigator is obliged to confiscate property,” former MIA investigator and lawyer Alexander Karabanov explains to KP. – Even if the damage is compensated. Because, in theory, the court could later opt for a sanction with an additional fine. And the seized assets will be used to liquidate it. Regarding debt repayment, even if the property is under arrest, the person involved can collect the borrowed money through various opportunities. He can borrow money from friends or withdraw it from a bank against property of third parties.
Elena Blinovskaya’s property may be sold at auction
Photo: Personal page of the hero of the publication on the social network.
According to Karabanov, there are other options.
– For example, a person involved in a criminal case for tax crimes expresses a sincere desire to pay the full amount. But because it is too big, sometimes it takes time to assemble it. There is such a procedure: concluding a conciliation agreement with the Federal Tax Service. Establish a payment schedule of up to one year.
“We made a proposal for mediation (that’s what an agreement on tax disputes is called – Author), but they rejected us,” Elena Blinovskaya’s lawyer Natalia Salnikova told KP.
– The Tax Service is a very pragmatic organization. Their task is to reimburse public money. This is an indicator of the effectiveness of your work. But, apparently, here the tax authorities simply do not see a real desire on the part of the interested party to pay the debts or they suspect that he is delaying the matter, ”comments Alexandr Karabanov about the situation.
By the way, it is known that during the entire period Elena Blinovskaya contributed only 55 million rubles to pay off the debt. According to her defense, the amount has not yet changed.
“Compared to the total debt of 1.4 billion rubles, this is an insignificant payment,” continues lawyer Karabanov. – From the point of view of the investigation, this suggests that the accused did not want and does not intend to pay the full amount of the debt within the framework of the criminal case. This strategy is quite dangerous. Because there were cases in which, after a while, the defendants were sent to a preventive detention center for tax crimes. (That is, house arrest can be replaced by an isolation room – Author).
– What will happen if the case goes to court, then to a verdict, and at that time Blinovskaya has not yet paid the full amount?
– A part of your property will be auctioned. The proceeds will be used to pay unpaid taxes. This is a fairly transparent procedure. The property is first appraised and then handed over to the bailiffs for sale at public auction. It is true that I would not proceed to sell properties through public auction, because the valuation of real estate, automobiles, etc., is carried out at a significant discount. Consequently, it is simply not profitable for the owner.
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