OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2011. Yaroslavl regional court upheld its judgment delivered on November 15, 2010, under criminal case against L.G. Degtyaryova, ex-director of Yaroslavl branch of Ingosstrakh OJSIC, and her aider G.K. Tsaryova.

The court found that Lyudmila Gerogiyevna Degryaryova in her position of director of Yaroslavl branch of Ingosstrakh OJSIC, during the period from 01.01.2003 to 04.10.2006, abused her official position, and aided by her acquaintance Galina Konstantinovna Tsaryova committed fraud in the form of misappropriation of Ingosstrakh OJSIC money in the amount of RUB 11,000,000. During the said period, an agency fee was groundlessly paid in favor of Avesta LLC, which had not carried out any agency activities for the conclusion of insurance agreements. “Agent” activities of Avesta LLC were controlled by L.G. Degtyaryova.

The detailed criminal arrangement is as follows. Insurance agreements were concluded directly by the branch sales department employees, i.e. without participation of any agents. But when entering agreements into the insurer’s information system, Avesta LLC agency was deliberately indicated. Avesta LLC was paid agency fee for activities that had never been performed.

The court has also discovered that the crime was committed with the aid of G.K. Tsaryova who supplied L.G. Degtyaryova with information and gave advice in order to prepare conditions and clear obstacles in committing the crime.

During hearings of the case in the court that lasted 1.5 years, more than one thousand of witnesses were questioned. Ingosstrakh OJSIC insurers testified that during conclusion of the insurance agreements no agents were engaged.

The court sentenced L.G. Degtyaryova to 6 years of imprisonment in a general condition penal colony. Tsaryova was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment in a general condition penal colony. Additionally, a civil claim by Ingosstrakh OJSIC on joint collection from the convicts of more than RUB 11,000,000 was satisfied. (The exact amount is RUB 11,322,176.82).

It is worth noting that executives of Ingosstrakh OJSIC in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski, Perm, Chita, additional offices in Maykop, Severodvinsk, and Tobolsk were sentenced for similar crimes.

Presently, an investigation of criminal cases against ex-directors of the branches in Ufa and Elista, and an additional office in Ukhta is ongoing.

It should be noted that investigation authorities in Ufa (Bashkortostan Republic) show ineffectiveness in investigation of a similar criminal case also related to misappropriation of insurer's funds for the amount of more than 1 million rubles. In order to bring the Ufa case to the court and overcome corruption obstacles, Ingosstrakh OJSIC had to apply to a special commission with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, General Prosecutor's office of Russia, and the Russian Federation President’s Control Authority.

According to Alexander Gulyayev, Ingosstrakh OJSIC director department of protection and information analysis, the work on crimes revelation among employees is systematically carried out since 2006 and reflects principled position by the management to clear its staff and provide for fair business practices.