Center For Business transparency and countering corporate raids in russia
Search
Close
  • Newsroom
  • Cases
  • What are we doing
    • Fight in Russia
    • Fight through the US and EU
  • About
    • Why
    • Contact
  • English
  • Русский
Menu
  • Newsroom
  • Cases
  • What are we doing
    • Fight in Russia
    • Fight through the US and EU
  • About
    • Why
    • Contact
  • English
  • Русский

SDI Group: Armed Individuals Storm Company, Seize Its Assets in Russia

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding
  • Cases
  • January 16, 2020
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

Raid Summary

In mid-January 2019, a group of armed individuals stormed onto, and took control of, a number of large-scale residential complexes under construction in the heart of the Russian capital of Moscow.

These real estate development projects include VernadSKY on Vernadsky Prospekt, Pirogovskaya Riviera in Moscow’s Mytishchi District, and Akkord Smart Kvartal in the Odintsovo District. They are owned and operated by SDI Group, a company operating mainly in Russia and the former Soviet Union, but also elsewhere abroad. The German infrastructure development and construction firm, Alcon Development GmbH, owns an 80-percent stake in that company.

Later that month, on January 24, 2019, another group of raiders bounded into the SDI Group’s offices on Kutuzovsky Prospekt and demanded the keys to the building. Some were in ordinary clothes and some wearing uniforms of the Vityaz security company, the primary security provider of properties belonging to God Nisanov, Moscow’s largest commercial real estate holder and a Russian oligarch of Azerbaijani descent. In a video recording, the raid’s orchestrators can supposedly be heard receiving orders from Nisanov, a partner in the projects. Russian media have since reported that Nisanov ordered the raid after a dispute with his partner, Ilgar Hajiyev, the founder of SDI Group.

After the raid, Hajiyev received a number of death threats, prompting him to flee with his family to Switzerland. The overnight loss of three prime real estate developments was a rare but devastating setback for Hajiyev, whose rags-to-riches story has become legendary in the former Soviet Union.

Even more painful for Hajiyev and the SDI Group management were the crimes committed by the perpetrators after the fact. Millions of euros in down payments for apartments, which were paid to SDI Group by hardworking Russian families, were transferred outside of the company’s accounts.

Over the past nine months, SDI Group has issued appeals to Russia’s Presidency and Government, the Moscow Regional Government and Mayor’s Office, and an array of law enforcement agencies in the hope of securing their support to bring Nisanov and his cronies to justice. The company has also launched a number of legal cases in Russia against the individuals involved in/behind the raid.

More information can be found in this investigative story by Novaya Gazeta.

Raid Media Coverage

November 26, 2019

International Policy Digest

Moscow Real Estate Feud Has Potential to Roil German-Russian Relations

November 26, 2019

Lenta.ru

To the Bundestag for Support: Will German MPs Help in Real Estate Struggles in Moscow?

November 25, 2019

Lenta.ua

Real Estate Could Damage German-Russian Relations

November 25, 2019

Reyting.az

A Skirmish Between Azerbaijanis in Moscow Could Ruin German-Russian Relations

November 22, 2019

Jüdische Welt

A Moscow Real Estate Feud Has the Potential to Severely Disrupt German-Russian Relations

November 22, 2019

Welt Express

A Moscow Real Estate Feud Has the Potential to Severely Disrupt German-Russian Relations

June 27, 2019

Ekho Moskva

U-Turn: Problem with Deceived Apartment Owners

June 24, 2019

Govorit Moskva

Mikhail Khazin Discusses the Inaction of Law Enforcement Agencies In Raid on SDI Group

June 20, 2019

Mikhail Khazin: Official Site

There Are Questions, But No Answers Yet…

June 20, 2019

Vesti FM: ‘Full Contact’

Raid on SDI Group Discussed on Vladimir Solovyov’s Show, “Full Contact”

June 11, 2019

Sobesednik

Funds of Apartment Owners at Pirogovskaya Riviera Withdrawn After Call From God Nisanov

June 10, 2019

Haqqin.az

Businessman Ilgar Hajiyev’s Misadventures Continue in Russia

June 5, 2019

Novaya Gazeta

Welcome, Construction, A New Year (ed. A New Owner, God Nisanov)

June 3, 2019

Govorit Moskva

Khazin/Economics Show: On the Issue of Raids

June 3, 2019

Khazin/Economics Show

On Armed Raids

May 30, 2019

Biznes-FM

Share and Shortfall of Pirogovskaya Riviera: Construction Stops After Corporate Dispute

May 29, 2019

Moscow Post

Rough-and-Tumble 1990s as Performed By God Nisanov?

May 29, 2019

Versiya

Skyscraper of Contention: Why Did Mountain Jews God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliyev Conflict with Their Developer Ilgar Hajiyev?

May 28, 2019

RIA Novosti

Co-Owner of SDI Group Sells 80 Percent of Shares to German Alcon Development GmbH

May 28, 2019

Gazeta.ru

European Shareholder Joins SDI Group

May 28, 2019

Kommersant

Ilgar Hajiyev Cedes Control of SDI Group

May 23, 2019

Biznes Information Agency

Individual Close to Kievskaya Ploshad Owner and Accused Raid Ochestrator Buys Nagatinskaya Transport Hub

May 22, 2019

Vedomosti

Kievskaya Ploshad Buys Nagatinskaya Transport Hub

May 22, 2019

RuCriminal

Nisanov Hiding Behind FSB and Putin

May 21, 2019

Lenta.ru

Worse Than In the Nineties: How Old Tricks Are Used in New Corporate Conflicts

May 20, 2019

Haqqin.az

Ex-Head of Akkord, Businessman Ilgar Hajiyev Appeals for Support to President of Azerbaijan

May 14, 2019

Haqqin.az

Acclaimed Azerbaijani Businessman in Russia Speaks with Haqqin.az: ‘My Business Was Stolen’

May 14, 2019

Sobesednik

Apartment Owners Are Victims of God Nisanov

May 8, 2019

RuCompromat

Ilgar Hajiyev Complains to Putin About ‘King of Russian Real Estate’

May 8, 2019

Reyting.az

Attack on Renowned Azerbaijani Businessman’s Office: Ilgar Hajiyev Faces ‘Thieves’

May 8, 2019

Xalq.az

God Nisanov Raids Acclaimed Azerbaijani Businessman’s Offices in Russia

May 8, 2019

Moderator.az

Offices of Renowned Azerbaijani Businessman Attacked in Russia

May 7, 2019

TheBell

Partner Accused ‘King of Russian Real Estate’ of Raiding His Business

May 7, 2019

First Anti-Corruption Media

Entrepreneur Asks Putin for Protection From ‘King of Russian Real Estate’

May 5, 2019

Radio Free Liberty/Radio Europe

‘Thieves-In-Law Rang.’ Developers Announce Raid on Business

May 2, 2019

Radio Free Liberty/Radio Europe

Ilgar Hajiyev Discusses Situation with Company

Stills from Footage Recorded During Raid

Approximately 50 security cameras installed at SDI Group’s offices and construction sites were left recording for months after the raid took place in January 2019. Tens of thousands of hours of footage were stored in the cloud before the cameras were dismantled. The footage is currently being transcribed by SDI Group’s legal team. Some stills can be seen below.  

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

Fighting Russian Corporate Raiding

External Links

Official SDI Group Raid Website

www.sdi.international

The legal team at SDI Group has published the above website, which collates Russia and international media coverage about the raid, the founder’s appeals for support to law enforcement and state agencies, video footage, and other documentation. 

Official SDI Group Raid YouTube Channel

https://bit.ly/2M6BH4N

About Us

Our aim is to end the practice of individuals and organizations using dirty tricks and force to seize companies without compensation in Russia.

Latest Stories

Capturing Moscow’s parking lots. An endless story.

February 18, 2021

A raid on a Winery: what is known about Viktor Budarin?

February 12, 2021

The election campaign is in full swing while officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs visit the journalists. What for?

February 11, 2021

Kanokov’s color company: how is this possible?

February 11, 2021

A sneaky and dangerous raider takeover with a 90s-style element

February 8, 2021

Business expansion of the “Grand Capital” and how Senator Rossel takes care of “wards”

February 5, 2021

© 2020 Center for Business Transparency and Countering Corporate Raids in Russia. All Rights Reserved.