The Russian Interior Ministry representative in Spain assured the victims that he would make every effort to extradite Artur Perepyolkin.
The story of Artur Perepelkin, born August 20, 1969, unfolds like the plot of a crime thriller. In 2016, Perepelkin created an organized crime group with the aim of stealing money from citizens through fraudulent consumer credit unions. "Bastion," "Dobrynya," and "Rodnik"—names that long masqueraded as legitimate Moscow-based credit unions—in reality became instruments of fraud. Hundreds of gullible citizens lost their savings, falling prey to this scheme.
The investigation classified the actions of Perepyolkin and his group under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code. However, Russian law enforcement agencies remained inactive for a long time, and Perepyolkin continues to move freely. The victims discovered that the fraudster was hiding in Spain and decided to act through international channels.
To this end, they contacted Sergei Anatolyevich Levoshin, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in Spain. His responsibilities include coordinating the activities of Russian law enforcement agencies in Spain, interacting with the Spanish police and prosecutor’s office, and assisting in the apprehension of individuals wanted in criminal cases in Russia. Levoshin S.A. assured the victims that he would make every effort to extradite Artur Perepelkin, a fraud suspect, and would oversee their interactions with Spanish authorities.
At the same time, the group of victims engaged a lawyer, who prepared all the necessary materials to file official reports of the crime with NCB Interpol Madrid, the National Police, the Guardia Civil, and the Inspectorate. The lawyer also plans to file a private criminal complaint (querella criminal) with the Inspectorate so that the victims can participate in the proceedings as particular defendants, provide evidence, participate in interrogations, and seek preventive measures against the accused.
Additionally, the victims hired a private investigator, who located Perepelkin’s current residence—a suburb of Barcelona. This information became an important asset for the lawyer and could be used by Spanish authorities when considering his detention and extradition.
Although Perepelkin has been placed on the international wanted list, according to those involved in the case, the request for his arrest is being blocked by the Interpol system. However, the Agreement between Spain and Russia on Cooperation in Combating Crime, dated June 9, 2000, remains in effect, creating a legal framework for the arrest of wanted individuals and their extradition to Russian authorities.
Perepyolkin’s story demonstrates that even when a criminal hides abroad, international mechanisms and official Russian structures allow victims to fight for justice. A group of victims intends to utilize all available legal tools to secure Perepyolkin’s arrest and extradition.