Yevgeny Kustov has been arrested on suspicion of fraud over a state contract to produce drones, with Efko general director Yevgeny Lyashenko also detained. The investigation reportedly centers on the C-80 heavy transport drone used to resupply Russian forces in Ukraine. Several senior officials, including an Industry Ministry department head accused of embezzlement, are in pre-trial detention. Forbes values Kustov's net worth at about $1.1 billion, but authorities have not disclosed his exact role in the case.
Russian 'Mayonnaise' Billionaire Arrested in Drone Contract Fraud Probe
FILE PHOTO - Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L-R, centre) attend a ceremony to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden by the Kremlin Wall on the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow to commemorate the 84th anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in WWII. (is associated with: «Russian mayonnaise billionaire arrested on drone fraud suspicion») Gavriil Grigorov/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
Russian billionaire Yevgeny Kustov has been arrested on suspicion of fraud tied to a state contract for drone production, media outlets reported on Thursday. The general director of Kustov's food company Efko, Yevgeny Lyashenko, was also taken into custody, according to the online portal RBC.
Independent outlet Agentstvo says the investigation concerns the C-80, a heavy transport drone reportedly used by the Russian military to resupply troops in Ukraine. The C-80 has faced criticism from military circles, and Defence Minister Andrei Belousov told President Vladimir Putin that the drone needs to be reworked.
Several senior officials are already in pre-trial detention in connection with the case. Authorities say one detained official is a department head at the Russian Industry Ministry who is accused of embezzling state funds related to the contract.
Background on Kustov: Forbes estimates Kustov's fortune at roughly $1.1 billion. He built his wealth through Efko, the food company best known in Russia for its mayonnaise. So far, investigators have not publicly detailed Kustov's specific role in the alleged fraud.
The probe remains ongoing and officials have released limited information. Media reports cite multiple sources, but no formal charges against Efko as a company have been announced publicly at this stage.
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