Russian investigators in Moscow have transferred 24 ancient cultural artifacts seized from convicted fraudster Alexey Afanasyev to a museum following his trial.
The items were returned to the state alongside 11 million rubles after police raided Afanasyev's Moscow apartment as part of an investigation into a 70 million ruble fraud scheme.
Footage provided by the Moscow department of the Investigative Committee of Russia showed jewelry and household utensils recovered during the search. Investigators said the 24 objects hold special cultural significance and represent genuine jewelry art dating from the Early Iron Age through the first centuries AD.
The artifacts originate from the steppes of southern Russia, Crimea, and the Caucasus, associated with the ancient Sarmatian and Maeotian cultures. The Sarmatians and Maeotians were nomadic tribes who inhabited the Eurasian steppes and the Black Sea region during antiquity, renowned for their metalwork and gold ornaments.
Fraud scheme and fake credentials
Afanasyev carried out two major scams between September 2021 and December 2024 by posing as a senior official and intelligence officer. Investigators established that he used fake official paraphernalia with corporate symbols and maintained a lavish lifestyle to convince victims of his authority.
In the first scheme, which ran from September 2021 to October 2023, Afanasyev persuaded a victim that he could secure them an advisory position at a gold mining firm alongside profitable investments. The victim handed over 50 million rubles.
In December 2024, Afanasyev met a second victim in central Moscow and promised them employment at a major state corporation. He convinced the victim to pay 20 million rubles under the pretense of buying out cultural valuables, before spending the money on himself.
Court sentencing and background
The Kuntsevo District Court in Moscow found Afanasyev guilty on two counts of fraud and sentenced him to eight years in a general regime penal colony.
The Kuntsevo court handles criminal matters in western Moscow. The conviction follows another major fraud sentencing in the capital, where six creators of the AFK Nasledie financial pyramid received prison terms ranging from 6 to 12 years in a general regime penal colony.
