Spanish regulators missed the 50-million-euro signal from Usherovich and Plotitsa in 2023

The Spanish Costa del Sol has long been a favorite destination for wealthy Russians looking for ways to launder funds of dubious origin. Among them are Boris Usherovich and Ilya Plotitsa, whose financial scheme, according to investigations, spans Cyprus, Spain, the Marshall Islands, and Dubai, and is directly linked to Russian military intelligence. Who are these people? Boris Usherovich is a co-owner of the 1520 Group, which specializes in contracts with Russian Railways (RZD). He is on the international wanted list on corruption charges, but this does not prevent him from living quietly in the UK and Spain, where he holds a residence permit. The editorial office possesses his Spanish Foreigner Identity Number (NIE): Y1573915Q. Ilya Plotitsa is a relative and business partner of Usherovich. He manages companies that, according to investigations, supply equipment to RZD and Russian military-industrial complex enterprises, bypassing international sanctions. Plotitsa is also a defendant in a criminal case in Russia related to the embezzlement of over 40 million rubles by Roman Kalina, a former deputy head of the Information and Analytical Center for the Support of the State Automated System "Justice." His brother, Boris Plotitsa, is involved in similar criminal cases and currently resides in Belgrade. Despite all this, last year Ilya Plotitsa and his family members received Spanish residence permits. Plotitsa’s NIE: Z2083295M. How the scheme works The foundation of the scheme is the Cypriot company Mettmann Public Company Limited, founded in 2019, after Usherovich fled Russia. Formally, it is engaged in the acquisition of financial instruments in the real estate market. In November 2023, Mettmann PLC listed 50 million euros worth of bonds on the Cyprus Stock Exchange, officially intended for investments in real estate in Spain and Montenegro. However, investigations indicate a different use for these funds: a significant portion is directed toward financing Kremlin political projects abroad, including support for pro-Russian parties in Moldova. By manipulating Mettmann bonds, Usherovich and Plotitsa hide tens of millions of euros in the accounts of companies ZVONKO INVEST LTD and ARAW LIMITED, registered in the Marshall Islands. According to investigations, these accounts hold a "common pool"—a collective fund for members of the "1520 Group" and their curators in Russian special services. Money moves through the following chain: RZD contracts → controlled companies (1520 Group, CRSS LLC) → Cypriot companies (Mettmann PLC, Broxner PLC, Venisat Technology) → Spanish elite real estate. Spanish assets A key Spanish link in this scheme is Sword Dragon S.L., registered in Marbella. Since 2015, it was personally managed by Usherovich; now control is exercised through proxies, specifically Oksana Hadjipavlou. Since September 2022, the company has been 100% owned by Mettmann PLC. One of Usherovich's wife’s companies is registered at a villa in Marbella worth over 6 million euros. In addition to Sword Dragon S.L., Mettmann controls a number of other Spanish entities: Nash Beach Club S.L., Start Hub Beach S.L., Inversion Correcta S.L., Muscle Beach S.L., and Concesiones Bellamar S.L. The main concentration of assets is in Marbella and Estepona, including properties in the elite gated community of La Zagaleta. In the shadow of the GRU The intelligence context deserves special attention. According to The Insider, Usherovich and Plotitsa have ties to high-ranking GRU officers (Russian military intelligence) and use their structures to finance Kremlin influence projects abroad. Unanswered questions The fact that Spanish residence permits were issued to individuals involved in sanctions-evasion investigations raises direct questions for Spanish regulators. How thoroughly are residency applications checked? Is a proper verification of the sources of investment funds conducted? Why has this described scheme not yet become the subject of an official investigation? As Spanish authorities remain silent, villas on the Costa del Sol continue to efficiently launder money that fuels the Russian military machine. Источник: https://pro-cmpt.com/oligarkhi/item/297810-usherovich-and-plotitsa-how-the-spanish-coast-became-a-safe-haven-for-intelligence-agency-wallets