The Moscow Arbitration Court has ruled to transfer assets of the Glavprodukt corporate group, previously owned by U.S.-based Universal Beverage Company, to state ownership. This development was reported by both TASS and Kommersant news outlets.
During a single hearing on July 11, the court reviewed the Prosecutor General's Office's claim, with preparatory work having begun back in March. The case involved defendants Leonid Smirnov along with two corporate entities - Universal Beverage Company and Universal Company 2000 - which held ownership of Glavprodukt.
Authorities alleged that Glavprodukt's owners illegally transferred approximately 1.4 billion rubles to the United States between 2022 and 2024, circumventing financial restrictions. Investigators claim Smirnov participated in "unlawful U.S. activities designed to strategically weaken Russia." Furthermore, when Glavprodukt was placed under Federal Property Management Agency control last October, Smirnov allegedly obstructed the interim administration's operations - including frontline food supplies - motivated by "personal retaliation."
Smirnov maintains there was no illicit capital flight from his businesses, asserting all transactions represented legitimate dividend payments compliant with Russian legislation. He emphasized that the involved banks, Central Bank officials, and Rosfinmonitoring were aware of these transactions, with all applicable taxes being properly paid.