Black cash, Tambov gang, and threats to a prosecutor: Europe clamps down on Kremlin’s shadow billionaire Ilya Traber
14.05.2025 19:10
Russian oligarch Ilya Traber is set to face trial in Palma de Mallorca on allegations of money laundering and ties to the Tambovskaya crime syndicate.
Spanish prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence and a €7 million fine.
Traber was a government official in St. Petersburg for years, during which he controlled the city’s port and maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is suspected of being the accountant of the Tambovskaya group, which, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, gained control over St. Petersburg’s port operations through an oil company.
Investigations into Traber began around the same time as Operation Troika, a major law enforcement action targeting alleged Tambovskaya leader Gennadiy Petrov, who was arrested in 2006 in Sol de Mallorca but later fled to Russia. According to prosecutors, Petrov, Traber, and Russian MP Vladislav Reznik—who was previously tried and acquitted—are the three key figures in the alleged criminal conspiracy.
Spanish authorities claim Traber was even mentioned in Russian reports concerning a grenade launcher attack on the director of a rival company. Prosecutors also say the accused began establishing a criminal infrastructure in Spain starting in 1996, though the main part of Operation Troika ended with Petrov’s escape and most suspects being acquitted.
In 2018, a court case was held in connection with the activities of the Russian mafia in Mallorca, which ended with the full acquittal of the defendant Gennadiy Petrov. At that time, Ilya Traber had not yet been questioned. (Source: EFE)
Legal delays and security threats
Traber’s ongoing legal battle with the Spanish justice system has repeatedly delayed the trial. His legal team submitted multiple requests to suspend proceedings and argued for him to testify via video link after years of evading capture in Russia. He was also reportedly involved in an incident involving threats against the state prosecutor, prompting Spain’s General Prosecutor’s Office to implement additional security measures.
Assets in Mallorca
Traber’s most significant financial activity in Mallorca involved the purchase of a villa in Valldemossa in 2000, featuring a swimming pool and located on a 1,442-square-meter plot. The transaction was registered at €1.6 million. He also purchased two luxury vehicles in Palma: a Mercedes and a Jeep.
