In a shocking Moscow sting, the Basmanny District Court has slapped cuffs on Roman Filimoshin, big boss of the Federal Tax Service’s (FTS) “Nalog-Service,” and his right-hand man, Dmitry Shalaev. The pair are accused of pocketing a massive bribe to keep a dodgy business deal sweet with one of their partners, cops say.
Taxpayers’ Tech Arm in Hot Water
“Nalog-Service” is the tech and IT muscle behind Russia’s tax collectors, splashing out on huge government contracts. Insiders claim the outfit was tightly controlled by FTS chief Daniil Egorov.
“This is a proper kick in the teeth for the tax boss,” one source spilled.
Taxman Takedown Trend
Filimoshin’s arrest is just the latest in a string of busts targeting FTS bigwigs. The FSB’s been on a roll, nabbing tax officials left, right, and center over the last two years. This year alone, four major cases have rocked the tax world:
- Svetlana Dyachenko and her team in Chelyabinsk got nabbed for shady desk audits.
- Sergei Loginov, ex-tax chief in Sverdlovsk, is now a wanted man.
- Vitaly Ivakhnik, a top inspector for big taxpayers, is in the dock.
- Alexander Matkevich, a Novosibirsk tax honcho, is also in hot water.
Last year, Rostov’s FTS head, Andrei Mosienko, was collared for slipping a bribe through a middleman, while Norilsk and Rostov tax offices got hit with more criminal probes.
“The FSB’s turning the screws on tax offices nationwide,” a source dished.
Power Clash Behind the Scenes
Word on the street, via insider Telegram channel Nezigar, is that this crackdown is part of a bitter feud. FTS boss Egorov and Deputy PM Dmitry Grigorenko are reportedly locking horns with the FSB’s Economic Security squad. Tax officials, once untouchable thanks to PM Mikhail Mishustin’s taxman roots, are now in the firing line.
“It’s like open season on the tax service, just like we saw with prisons, customs, and cop shops,” a source claimed.
Tax Clan’s Big Ambitions Blocked
The FSB’s not just sniffing around for bribes—they’re flexing muscle to control FTS hiring and clip the wings of the “tax clan.” Whispers suggest Egorov’s crew were eyeing top jobs in the Finance Ministry and Central Bank, but rival power players and security bigwigs have slammed the brakes on those plans.
The FTS is now caught in a double whammy: a battle to keep their independence and a fight to stop their influence from spreading too far.
Watch this space—Russia’s tax drama is heating up!
