Georgy Vadimovich Bedzhamov
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikitia's general notability guideline. |
Georgy Bedzhamov | |
|---|---|
Георгий Вадимович Беджамов | |
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | Georgy Vadimovich Bedzhamov |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Known for | Co-owner of Vneshprombank; fugitive financial case |
Georgy Vadimovich Bedzhamov (Russian: Георгий Вадимович Беджамов; bornc. 1966) is a Russian former banker and sports administrator. Co-owner of Vneshprombank—once among Russia’s 40 largest lenders—he became subject to multibillion-dollar fraud allegations after the bank’s 2016 collapse and has since faced high-profile litigation and sanctions-related proceedings in England and Wales. His legal battles include a £1.34 billion worldwide freezing order, living-expense disputes under that order, a landmark High Court sanctions ruling and a UK Supreme Court decision on the “immovables rule” in _Kireeva v Bedzhamov_ (2024).
Early life and education
Little is publicly documented about Bedzhamov’s early life and education in independent sources.
Banking career
In 2000, Bedzhamov co-founded Vneshprombank and served on its board until its license was revoked in January 2016. Under his and Larisa Markus’s ownership, Vneshprombank rose to become Russia’s 40th largest bank by assets. After the Central Bank of Russia uncovered a ₽187 billion shortfall and systematic falsification of accounts, it revoked the bank’s license on 21 January 2016.
Vneshprombank collapse and criminal proceedings
In December 2015, Larisa Markus—Bedzhamov’s sister and bank president—was arrested for embezzling ₽114 billion. A Russian criminal case against Bedzhamov for large-scale fraud was opened on 22 January 2016. Fleeing Russia, he was placed on an international wanted list, detained in Monaco in April 2016 and released on medical grounds after Prince Albert II refused extradition. Extradition requests by Russia remain unresolved.
Sport administration
From 2010 to 2015, Bedzhamov served as president of the Russian Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation and as vice-president of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation, overseeing national and international bobsleigh governance.
Offshore assets and Pandora Papers revelations
Leaked Pandora Papers documents reveal that Bedzhamov and Markus used the Cypriot law firm Demetrios A. Demetriades LLC (\"Dadlaw\") to establish offshore companies and trusts. These structures appear designed to conceal assets and involved related-party loans with opaque terms.
United Kingdom litigation
Worldwide freezing order
In April 2019, the High Court of Justice (Chancery Division) granted Vneshprombank’s liquidator a £1.34 billion worldwide freezing order (WFO) over Bedzhamov’s assets in England and Wales to secure recovery of alleged fraud proceeds.
Living-expense disputes
Under the WFO, Bedzhamov’s monthly allowance for legal and living expenses was initially capped at £80,000 and later increased to £240,000 following appeals.
Sanctions funding ruling
In May 2024, the High Court held that funding arrangements with A1 LLC did not breach the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019’s “reasonable cause to suspect” prohibition, clarifying that actual ownership by a designated person must be proved before criminal liability arises.
UK Supreme Court decision
On 20 November 2024, in _Kireeva v Bedzhamov_ [2024] UKSC 39, the Supreme Court unanimously affirmed that English courts will not recognize Russian bankruptcy orders over immovable English property (the “immovables rule”), dismissing the trustee’s appeal.
Sanctions and ownership dispute
A1 LLC—a litigation funder—was part of this litigation. Its pre-March 2022 ownership by Alfa Group founders (Mikhail Fridman, German Khan, Alexey Kuzmichev) left reasonable cause to suspect it remained controlled by designated persons despite a nominal sale for £714 in March 2022. The High Court found compelling indicators—joint-arrangement aggregation, non-arms-length disposal, unexplained financial omissions—that would meet a “reasonable cause to suspect” test, though it declined to make a factual finding absent an imminent payment application.
Personal life
Bedzhamov resides in London, continues to contest civil claims by Vneshprombank’s trustee and is subject to ongoing enforcement proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
References
External links
This article "Georgy Vadimovich Bedzhamov" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.