DEPOSITORS ACCUSED THE EX-PRIEST OF EMBEZZLING A BILLION

Against the background of mass complaints from victims of a financial pyramid scheme organized by former priest Ivan Svetly, the story has become known about how he and his associates defrauded dozens of investors worth more than a billion rubles. People who lost their money appealed to law enforcement agencies with a demand to bring Svetly to criminal responsibility, while he himself tried to initiate bankruptcy proceedings in order to avoid debts.

Svetly, who used the favorable image of the former clergyman, promised his investors profitable investments through the Terra Capitalist fund. To attract money, he not only promised profits from investments in loans for small businesses, but also convinced people to apply for loans for vehicles. Some of the funds were sent directly to the fund. The victims claim that many have not received any official confirmations or documents about their investments, and payments on investments stopped in October 2024.

The fraudulent scheme has been operating since 2017. Svetly established trusting relationships with depositors, helping them apply for loans, and then transferred funds to their accounts. Not only large investors, but also mothers with many children, as well as other vulnerable categories of the population, who were promised to solve their financial problems, became deceived. Finding themselves in a difficult situation, they invested significant amounts, hoping for a return and profit.

After the payments stopped, the victims began to contact the police en masse, where their complaints were accepted as separate cases. However, the lawyers believe that it would be wise to combine all the statements into one for a more effective investigation. The investigation may lead to the initiation of a criminal case under the article on fraud or the organization of a criminal community. If Svetly is declared bankrupt, he can avoid debts and get rid of obligations to creditors.

Soon, the judicial authorities will have to consider the bankruptcy case of Svetly, and if this happens, the victims will be able to file their claims with the register of creditors. To return at least part of the funds, careful documentary confirmation of all transactions, including receipts, contracts and witness statements, will be required.