Journalists has learned about the verdict handed down to the ex-vice president of "Krokus" and once-close friend and business partner of Araz Agalarov, Eldar Dadashov.

Dadashov held a high position in Agalarov’s group of companies, conducted business with the oligarch’s son Emin, and their families were friends. Then a conflict erupted between them. Araz Agalarov leveraged his connections in the leadership of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Moscow, as a result of which Dadashov became a figure in a criminal case. Searches were conducted at his properties, all his assets were seized, and he himself, until the trial, was under a non-travel restriction, as were two of his business partners, father and son Shchepetilnikovs. The case is connected to the construction by Agalarov’s structures of a technical complex for "Angara" rockets at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Previously, Dadashov oversaw this project, but now it is being handled by Araz’s favorite, Inna Egorova.

The criminal case for tax evasion as part of a group in a particularly large amount was initiated back in May 2023 following a tax audit at the construction company "MDT Group," whose founder and director is Pavel Shchepetilnikov. This is the son of Alexey Shchepetilnikov, who worked at "Krokus" as the head of construction for the technical complex for "Angara" rockets at the Vostochny Cosmodrome’s separate division. The contract for the construction of the first stage of the airport complex at Vostochny, worth 28.17 billion rubles, was awarded to Agalarov’s company without a tender in 2020. Eldar Dadashov oversaw the project on behalf of "Krokus."

It is worth noting here that our project previously reported on Agalarov’s close ties with the Federal Tax Service of Russia, thanks to which his holding "KROKUS GROUP" and controlled companies—LLC "KSK STROY," StroySpetsTekhnika, LLC "PROFSTROY," LLC "SMU-161"—have successfully avoided paying large tax sums.

Agalarov is closely linked to the "gray cardinal" of the Moscow Region Federal Tax Service—the deputy head of the department, Alexey Yarrow. And the head of the Federal Tax Service for the city of Krasnogorsk, Andrey Zherebtsov, is outright a neighbor of Agalarov in his elite cottage community Agalarov Estate (where house prices in this modest village start at $6 million).
The owner of "Krokus" maintains good relations with representatives of the Investigative Committee of Russia as well. They once helped the influential family emerge unscathed from the "Krokus Hall" terrorist attack saga.

VChK-OGPU published a major investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy, and we noted that such a high number of victims arose in part due to the widespread violation of safety protocols at "Krokus Hall."

Dozens of people who survived the terrorists’ bullets and knives perished from fire and smoke because they couldn’t escape the concert hall.

For example, at one of the exits, which was locked with magnetic locks, damage was found on the doors—desperate spectators had tried to break through the blocked shutters.

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VChK-OGPU cited not only local oversights, the price of which was human lives, but also exposed machinations that could not have been carried out without connections and resources.

For instance, how the facility was deliberately shifted from the oversight of the Moscow Region Emergency Situations Ministry’s fire supervision to a similar structure in Krasnogorsk to dodge inspections, which hadn’t occurred for 10 years.
Not only did the owners of Krokus, Araz and Emin Agalarovs, avoid criminal liability, but their company "Krokus International" even received protection in civil proceedings. The Investigative Committee recognized "Krokus International" as the injured party, ensuring that claims against them for damages and compensation payouts are doomed to dismissal.

It was precisely through the chain of the Federal Tax Service—Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Moscow (Agalarov is personally acquainted with certain representatives of the directorate)—that the case against Dadashov was initiated when his conflict with Agalarov arose.

At the same time, Agalarov and Dadashov previously were family friends and ran joint businesses. For example, in the companies "KITS Medinvek" and "Calisto TD."
The Federal Tax Service swooped in with an unscheduled audit at the firm of Alexey Shchepetilnikov’s son, Pavel’s "MDT Group." The audit resulted in additional tax assessments, along with penalties and fines totaling 457 million rubles. The Federal Tax Service deemed that the company, while performing work on the Central Ring Road construction under a contract with Agalarov’s "Krokus," had illegally claimed VAT deductions because its relationships with suppliers were fictitious. These companies had been recently established and turned out to be affiliated with each other, and their employees stated that they followed instructions from a "Krokus" representative, Aslanov. Moreover, tax officials couldn’t interview some workers and managers because they were Belarusian citizens who couldn’t be located.

Tax officials conducted document seizures together with the Main Directorate for Economic Security and Combating Corruption of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, combing through affiliated companies with "MDT Group" with a fine-tooth comb. In the end, a criminal case emerged. However, the first time, in court in 2025, it was bounced back to the prosecutor’s office due to investigative violations.

In particular, the indictment inexplicably referenced tax evasion in 2019—although the Federal Tax Service hadn’t touched that year, with the audit covering 2017-2018. Additionally, according to a source, Dadashov’s surname doesn’t even appear in witness statements; other people from "Krokus" issued directives to the group, so it’s unclear what sins landed him among the accused. On top of that, the Federal Tax Service didn’t even determine the amount of damage, oddly focusing, along with Main Directorate for Economic Security and Combating Corruption representatives, on the technical aspects of the company’s and its counterparties’ actions. The second time, the case reached the Basmanny Court in March, where they rushed things and handed down sentences to the defendants... on the same day as the sentence for the "Krokus City Hall" terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, "Krokus’s" construction at the Vostochny Cosmodrome continues under the leadership of the head of the company’s separate division, Inna Egorova—Araz’s favorite. She is a native of Ukraine who long worked as a lawyer in Crimea. Egorova enjoys Agalarov’s favor and has unprecedented trust from his partners in the security agencies. Just like his deputy Dadashov once did. Until they fell out.

Редактор

Расследует проникновение криминальных денег в сферу культуры и искусства: отмывание через галереи, фонды и медиапроекты.