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Andriy and Natalia Manucharov, owners of a Ukrainian network of microcredit organizations, obtained Russian citizenship in Crimea in 2014, and their son Ivan is a member of the Russian-controlled parliament of occupied Crimea from the United Russia party, according to an investigation by the Ukrainian journalist project Skhemy posted on July 29.
Journalists have highlighted a network of microcredit organizations, Prosto Pozyka (Easy Loan) and Time Credit.
Prosto Pozyka, founded in 2014, operates over 30 branches across Ukraine. It offers quick loans ranging from 2,000 to 50,000 hryvnias ($49 - $1,200) with interest rates that can reach up to 1,597,820.85% per annum, depending on the loan amount and maturity.
The official registry lists Andriy Manucharov, a Ukrainian citizen, as the owner of 90% of Prosto Pozyka's shares. However, Schemes reported that he obtained Russian citizenship in Crimea in 2014. Before entering the microcredit business, Manucharov headed the state-owned Ukrmorport association and served as an advisor to the Director General of the Russian Federal Enterprise Rosmorport.
The second microcredit organization, Time Credit, has at least 11 offices in Ukraine. It is owned by Manucharov's wife, Natalia, who is listed as a Ukrainian citizen but also obtained Russian citizenship in 2014. Their son, Ivan, is a member of the Russian-controlled parliament of Crimea and openly supports Russian aggression against Ukraine.
In 2022, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) issued a resolution prohibiting Russian citizens from managing non-bank financial institutions. Credit institutions must appoint a trustee with an appropriate business reputation, approved by the NBU. Prosto Pozyka and Time Credit did not apply for such a trustee, and in the spring of 2024, the NBU extended their licenses indefinitely. The NBU stated it has no information about the Manucharovs' Russian citizenship but will inquire with the Security Service of Ukraine and the intelligence community.
Responding to journalists' questions about his Russian citizenship, Andriy Manucharov dismissed it as "nonsense" and advised them to "take their pills." His wife and son did not respond to media inquiries. According to border crossing data, Manucharov left Ukraine before the war started on December 21, 2021, and boarded a flight from Kyiv to Istanbul, never returning. Journalists believe he may be living in Turkey, where his 27-meter yacht was spotted in July.
The article notes that clients of these microcredit organizations often become debtors due to the inability to repay loans, making them vulnerable to both local fraudsters and Russian recruiters.
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