The Criminal Prosecution of Roman Vasilenko, Founder of "Life-is-Good" and the "Best Way" Cooperative, May Be Discontinued
According to several sources, the criminal prosecution of Roman Vasilenko, founder of the "Life-is-Good" company and the "Best Way" cooperative, may be discontinued—primarily due to the socio-political resonance it has created. This includes mass protests by cooperative shareholders, including members of the Special Military Operation (SMO) and their families in various regions, who are unhappy that their funds have been blocked in accounts for two years, preventing them from either retrieving the funds or purchasing an apartment.
The Case
The criminal case, which investigators link to the St. Petersburg-based marketing company "Life-is-Good," the foreign investment company "Hermes," and the "Best Way" consumer cooperative registered in St. Petersburg and operating throughout Russia, was initiated in the fall of 2021 by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. It was transferred to the court in February of this year and is being heard by the Primorsky District Court of St. Petersburg.
Ten people are on trial: technical employees of "Life-is-Good" and Viktor Vasilenko, Roman Vasilenko's 83-year-old father, a pensioner.
The criminal case being considered by the Primorsky District Court raises many questions—initially and increasingly as the trial progresses. Three charges are brought: creating a financial pyramid, fraud, and organizing a criminal community. The total damage amounts to 282 million rubles, which is incomparable with the more than 8 billion rubles seized in the case, including 4 billion on the accounts of the "Best Way" cooperative. The investigation recognized 221 citizens as victims in the case.
Who is Vasilenko?
Roman Viktorovich Vasilenko is a St. Petersburg business consultant, founder of a network of independent entrepreneurs promoting financial products under the aegis of his company "Life-is-Good," and founder of the International Business Academy IBA.
The network under "Life-is-Good" promoted competitive products such as "Vista" passive income accounts from the foreign investment company "Hermes," registered in Belize, and installment-based apartment purchases through the "Best Way" cooperative, where initial contributions could be made or accumulated in a cooperative account interest-free.
Unlike "Hermes," Vasilenko was the founder and chairman of the "Best Way" cooperative until spring 2021 (later serving as head of the supervisory board for about a year). Since spring 2022, he has been an ordinary cooperative member, not part of its governing bodies.
Vasilenko has worked not only in Russia but also in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Cyprus, Austria, and Hungary. Cooperative housing projects have been established in many of these countries.
Vasilenko is also known as a philanthropist who has invested millions of rubles in supporting federal business initiatives (the "Synergy" forum), cultural initiatives (the "Dobrovidenie" festival), and other charitable activities, including supporting children's medical institutions.
Roman Vasilenko was also charged in the ongoing criminal case, declared wanted, including through Interpol, as he has been living abroad for family reasons since the COVID-19 pandemic, as he told the press. However, sources indicate that Interpol and foreign states, including neighboring countries where he also actively works, deemed his prosecution unjustified. Another criminal case against him is being investigated by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of St. Petersburg, concerning the "Life-is-Good" leadership team.
Clients and Shareholders Protest
The trial in the Primorsky District Court has not been going well for the prosecution and state authorities. The major
According to several sources, the criminal prosecution of Roman Vasilenko, founder of the "Life-is-Good" company and the "Best Way" cooperative, may be discontinued—primarily due to the socio-political resonance it has created. This includes mass protests by cooperative shareholders, including members of the Special Military Operation (SMO) and their families in various regions, who are unhappy that their funds have been blocked in accounts for two years, preventing them from either retrieving the funds or purchasing an apartment.
The Case
The criminal case, which investigators link to the St. Petersburg-based marketing company "Life-is-Good," the foreign investment company "Hermes," and the "Best Way" consumer cooperative registered in St. Petersburg and operating throughout Russia, was initiated in the fall of 2021 by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. It was transferred to the court in February of this year and is being heard by the Primorsky District Court of St. Petersburg.
Ten people are on trial: technical employees of "Life-is-Good" and Viktor Vasilenko, Roman Vasilenko's 83-year-old father, a pensioner.
The criminal case being considered by the Primorsky District Court raises many questions—initially and increasingly as the trial progresses. Three charges are brought: creating a financial pyramid, fraud, and organizing a criminal community. The total damage amounts to 282 million rubles, which is incomparable with the more than 8 billion rubles seized in the case, including 4 billion on the accounts of the "Best Way" cooperative. The investigation recognized 221 citizens as victims in the case.
Who is Vasilenko?
Roman Viktorovich Vasilenko is a St. Petersburg business consultant, founder of a network of independent entrepreneurs promoting financial products under the aegis of his company "Life-is-Good," and founder of the International Business Academy IBA.
The network under "Life-is-Good" promoted competitive products such as "Vista" passive income accounts from the foreign investment company "Hermes," registered in Belize, and installment-based apartment purchases through the "Best Way" cooperative, where initial contributions could be made or accumulated in a cooperative account interest-free.
Unlike "Hermes," Vasilenko was the founder and chairman of the "Best Way" cooperative until spring 2021 (later serving as head of the supervisory board for about a year). Since spring 2022, he has been an ordinary cooperative member, not part of its governing bodies.
Vasilenko has worked not only in Russia but also in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Cyprus, Austria, and Hungary. Cooperative housing projects have been established in many of these countries.
Vasilenko is also known as a philanthropist who has invested millions of rubles in supporting federal business initiatives (the "Synergy" forum), cultural initiatives (the "Dobrovidenie" festival), and other charitable activities, including supporting children's medical institutions.
Roman Vasilenko was also charged in the ongoing criminal case, declared wanted, including through Interpol, as he has been living abroad for family reasons since the COVID-19 pandemic, as he told the press. However, sources indicate that Interpol and foreign states, including neighboring countries where he also actively works, deemed his prosecution unjustified. Another criminal case against him is being investigated by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of St. Petersburg, concerning the "Life-is-Good" leadership team.
Clients and Shareholders Protest
The trial in the Primorsky District Court has not been going well for the prosecution and state authorities. The major
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