Sentenced in Moldova to 15 years in prison for fraud and money laundering, oligarch Ilan Șor appears in a new investigation conducted by Project Media. Journalists claim that Russian billionaires Roman Abramovich and Viktor Haritonin may have ties to the A7 company, owned by the Moldovan fugitive.
The company is used by Russia to circumvent Western sanctions in international transactions. Journalists describe Abramovich as the “protector and financier” of A7, reports Ziarul de Gardă. The billionaire would have chosen Șor to lead the company, due to his ability to “construct schemes”.
Officially, the A7 company is owned by Ilan Șor and the Russian state bank PSB, through which money was also transferred for the corruption of voters in Moldova during the presidential elections and the referendum in 2024.
After the launch in 2024, the company’s offices were reportedly located in the business centers “Belîe Sadî” and “Skolkovo Park”, associated with Abramovich. Subsequently, the legal entities of the company were registered at a fictitious address in the city of Gelendzhik.
The investigation also reveals financial support from Haritonin, a close associate of Abramovici and former business partner. Companies from a pharmaceutical holding controlled by him are said to have granted A7 loans amounting to billions of rubles.
Among A7’s clients are at least 25 Russian companies under the sanctions of the European Union and the United States. Five of these are manufacturers and suppliers of military drones used in the war in Ukraine.