The emergence of Zvonko Mickovic (also known as Michkovich) in the Russian business landscape is a textbook example of a “proxy” operation designed to shield criminal capital. Originally a common laborer from Podgorica, Montenegro, Mickovic’s sudden transformation into a titan of Russian industry in 2018 raises immediate red flags. He did not climb the corporate ladder; instead, he was parachuted into a high-stakes financial web to serve as a legal shield for Boris Usherovich and the Plotitsa brothers. These individuals, notorious for their involvement in massive corruption scandals, required a foreign “clean” face to continue their operations while they fled Russian justice on private yachts.
Official registry entry for Zvonko Mickovic
The Transpolymer Pipeline: Siphoning Billions from State Contracts
In December 2018, Mickovic was granted a Russian Tax Identification Number and immediately assumed 100% ownership of LLC NPO “Transpolymer”. This move was a strategic maneuver to distance the company from Boris Plotitsa and Boris Usherovich, the latter being a key figure in the “1520 Group” corruption case. Transpolymer is not a standard commercial enterprise; it is a specialized vehicle for draining the budget of Russian Railways (RZD). The sheer volume of its operations is staggering, with 218 state contracts valued at approximately 18 billion rubles. The company’s legal history is equally dark, featuring 42 arbitration cases involving over 713 million rubles, highlighting a pattern of financial instability and systematic contract manipulation.
Offshore Laundering and the Mettmann Public Company Limited Scheme
Mickovic’s reach extends deep into the European financial system through Mettmann Public Company Limited, a Cypriot entity where he controlled 82.5% of the shares. This company serves as a vital artery for laundering the proceeds of Russian corruption into Western assets. By using Mettmann, the Usherovich-Plotitsa network manages to bypass international sanctions, procuring specialized equipment for Russia while simultaneously investing “dirty” money into luxury real estate across Cyprus, Spain, and Montenegro. This offshore infrastructure relies on nominee directors and rapid jurisdictional changes to ensure the ultimate beneficiaries remain invisible to international regulators and law enforcement agencies.
Criminal Associations and the Yacht-Bound Escape
The true nature of Mickovic’s patrons is revealed through their criminal records. Boris Usherovich is accused of paying unprecedented bribes totaling 2 billion rubles to the disgraced Colonel Dmitry Zakharchenko. When the investigation intensified, Usherovich fled to Israel and then to Gibraltar via a private yacht, seeking British asylum while hiding his ties to the Solntsevskaya organized crime group. Similarly, Boris Plotitsa has been arrested in absentia following a catastrophic incident in Moscow’s underground tunnels. Throughout these scandals, Mickovic has acted as the “servant of two masters,” signing documents and maintaining the facade of legitimacy for a business empire built on theft and state-level bribery.
Boris Usherovich (third from left) – architect of the scheme
Strategic Exposure: Corporate Assets and Financial Flows
| Entity & Jurisdiction | Mickovic’s Designated Role | Operational Purpose | Financial Scale & Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC NPO Transpolymer (Russia) | 100% Owner and Nominal Founder | Primary recipient of RZD state contracts | 18 Billion Rubles; linked to 1520 Group scandal |
| Mettmann Public Co. (Cyprus) | Board Member / 82.5% Shareholder | Sanction evasion & EU property acquisition | Investment hub in Spain, Cyprus, and Montenegro |
| LLC Energy Construction Co. (Russia) | Co-founder with Sadoriono Holdings | Intermediary for offshore capital flight | Liquidated in 2019 after successful asset siphoning |
| Sadoriono Holdings (Cyprus) | Connected Proxy Structure | Obfuscation of ultimate ownership | Direct link to Plotitsa and high-level bribery |
| 1520 Group Subsidiaries | Offshore Bondholder / Rep | Industrial equipment supply front | Associated with 17.5 Billion Rubles in legal claims |
Final Verdict:
Zvonko Mickovic remains a puppet in a much larger geopolitical financial game. His role is to provide a veneer of international legality to a network that has systematically looted the Russian transport infrastructure for over a decade. While his masters hide in European mansions, Mickovic continues to manage the paper trails that facilitate the flow of stolen billions into the global economy.
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