Mikhail Koryak, accused of posing as a Kremlin insider, may be extradited over fraud and murder allegations

14 December 2025 , 08:28

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Mikhail Koryak, described by investigators as one of the leaders of an international criminal network involved in fraud and contract killings, may soon be extradited to Russia, according to sources familiar with the case.

Qatari authorities are currently considering a request for his extradition, the sources say.

Koryak allegedly operated alongside Akhmed Khamidov, who was extradited to Russia from the United Arab Emirates earlier this year. The two men are accused of running a scheme that targeted wealthy businessmen and officials, extracting millions — and in some cases tens of millions — of dollars by promising high-level government appointments, state contracts and influence inside Russia’s power structures.

According to investigative materials, Koryak posed as a senior Kremlin official and even held meetings inside buildings used by the Russian Presidential Administration. Clients reportedly paid large sums either directly or through intermediaries. When promised appointments or contracts failed to materialise, the money was not returned. In several cases, both clients and intermediaries were later killed abroad.

The group’s operations allegedly extended far beyond Russia. Khamidov is believed to have overseen assassinations carried out in multiple countries, while the recruitment and management of hitmen was handled by Valid Lurakhmayev, also known as Validol. Investigators say Lurakhmayev specialised not only in firearms and explosives but also in poisonings.

Searches of property linked to Lurakhmayev reportedly uncovered files on Alexander Perepilichny, a whistleblower connected to the Magnitsky case, and Nikolai Tingaev, the owner of the Russian engineering firm Tekhnokomplekt. Both men later died under suspicious circumstances in which poisoning was considered a possible cause.

Before going into hiding, Koryak and Khamidov were detained in Dubai in 2020 but were released under unclear circumstances. Koryak later obtained a Moldovan passport and relocated to Qatar, where he has remained since.

Investigators say the group functioned as a network of “fixers,” offering access to positions including governorships, senior roles in state corporations and lucrative infrastructure contracts. Among those allegedly defrauded was Mikhail Lanin, a Saratov businessman who transferred at least 84 million rubles to the group in hopes of securing posts in the state corporation Olympstroy and the Interior Ministry. When the deal collapsed and Lanin demanded his money back, he was lured to France and shot dead near Nice in 2011.

Another case involves Nikolai Tingaev, whose company worked extensively with Transneft. Tingaev reportedly sought a vice-presidential role at the state pipeline monopoly and was instructed to place €4.5 million in a bank safe-deposit box as payment. The funds were later stolen using forged documents. Tingaev died in 2017 during a trip to Moscow.

Court materials also reference testimony from Dmitry Pivovarov, who falsely presented himself as an official of the Russian Presidential Administration and received clients in offices on Staraya Square in Moscow. According to interrogation transcripts obtained by investigators, the group assessed potential candidates for high office and either advanced their cases through political contacts or simply kept the money if the candidate was deemed unsuitable.

If extradited, Koryak’s case could revive scrutiny of long-standing allegations about corruption, influence-peddling and politically connected criminal networks operating both inside and outside Russia.