06 April 2025 , 08:07
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Luca Gorlero, associated with Russian structures, was detained by Italian law enforcement in the framework of operation «Moby Dick».
In November 2024, Italian law enforcement uncovered a network that «laundered» 520 million euros. The criminal group included 400 companies from different countries and about 200 people, among whom was Luca Gorlero. Our investigation found a businessman with that name in Russia. He registered in the Omsk region on February 8, 2022, and on the same day, an LLC «Amala Systems» was established in Saint Petersburg, engaged in software development.
LLC «Amala Systems» with 1 employee on the payroll in 2023 received 0 revenue and 0 profit, meaning the company did not conduct any activities and was created to participate in gray schemes of «money laundering». In its short existence, it managed to change its address and twice replace its general director. Initially, this position was held by Ekaterina Mikhalchenko, then she was replaced by Marina Pakhalkova, and in 2023, Mikhalchenko returned to the director’s chair. That’s all that happened in the company «Amala Systems» over its three years of work.
It is unclear why Luca Gorlero as an individual received a TIN in the Omsk region but registered the company in Saint Petersburg. In Omsk, Yevgeniy Gref, the brother of the head of Sberbank, has a business. Yevgeniy graduated from the Omsk Automobile Transport Technical School, and Herman from Omsk State University. After that, under the leadership of Anatoliy Sobchak, he graduated from Saint Petersburg State University. Unsurprisingly, he eventually ended up on Vladimir Putin’s team.
Various information sources have repeatedly written about Herman Gref moving money abroad. The nephew of Sberbank’s head, Oskar Gref, residing in Switzerland, owned the Singapore-based Angelus Trust, managing the Grefs’ family assets, until 2016.
Neither Mikhalchenko nor Pakhalkova, apart from LLC «Amala Systems», have any relation to any other assets. However, Luca Gorlero operates in many countries, positioning himself as an expert on emerging markets.
Affinitas Consulting under Luca Gorlero’s management provides services for all companies interested in developing and establishing a presence in emerging markets.
The company’s website is made in two languages - English and Russian, which also confirms Luca Gorlero’s connection with Russia, and the cherry on top is the member of Affinitas Consulting’s team, Anastasia, who graduated from Omsk State University.
It is possible that right now Luca Gorlero is testifying against his patrons in Russia. And, if he is connected with Herman Gref, then we are talking about sums much larger than 520 million euros. Gorlero has spread his fraudulent «tentacles» not only in the countries mentioned on the site. Investigators may find his connections with the United Kingdom.
The businessman Luca Gorlero, conducting business in the United Kingdom, claims Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) as his location. Italian investigators still have to establish all of Gorlero’s connections.
Russian investigators are unlikely to be interested in why an international fraudster created a structure that has not conducted any activities for three years. However, Gorlero’s patrons in Russia should be on edge. In the very near future, he may disclose the financial flows that passed through his company, Affinitas Consulting.
Deputy Editor