The Central Bank revoked the license of Strela Bank.
Photo: Mikhail FROLOV
BECAUSE THEY ARE SO?
The Central Bank revoked the license of Strela Bank. This is a small credit institution that ranks 321st in terms of assets. But “Strela” was not punished “for her small stature,” as the popular song sang. It turned out that (again, you can’t do without folklore) the bank was “run by shady affairs.”
“The credit organization violated federal laws regulating banking activities, as well as the regulations of the Bank of Russia,” the Central Bank said in an official statement. In addition, the regulator notes, the bank committed “violations of the requirements of the rules of the Bank of Russia in the field of combating the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism.”
More specifically, Strela specialized in money transfers between QIWI Bank and other participants in the banking services market. Furthermore, a significant volume of these operations had the objective of guaranteeing agreements between individuals and shadow companies, underlines the Central Bank. We are talking about transfers to crypto exchanges, illegal online casinos and betting houses. Information about transactions that have indications of criminal offenses has been sent to law enforcement agencies, the Bank of Russia reports.
Since the beginning of the year, this is already the third case of license revocation, despite the fact that for a year and a half before, no sanctions of this type were applied to banks. In February 2024, we recall that Qiwi Bank and Hephaestus Bank had their licenses revoked.
WHAT SHOULD INVESTORS DO?
Wait two weeks. The bank participates in the deposit insurance system, so all depositors will be returned 100% of their account balance, but no more than 1.4 million rubles per person. This includes accrued interest. The Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) handles payments. I’m calling there.
“Payments will begin on April 5,” the DIA reported.
Typically, an authorized bank is designated to make payments. This time, the DIA decided to pay the money directly. To receive your hard-earned money, you must go to the DIA website, select the “Receive Insurance Compensation” service in the menu (above) and fill out an application. Directly on the website, if there is an electronic signature, or through the State Services portal, explained the DIA.
You can get more information by calling the DIA hotline 8-800-200-08-05
IS NOT ALL LOST?
And now attention to the money bags! It turns out that, although there were more than 1.4 million rubles in the accounts of the disgraced bank, all was not lost. There is hope of receiving something beyond this amount. In the application for individuals, for example, the following paragraph 3 appears: “I ask you to include in the register of claims of the bank’s creditors a claim for the amount of the fund balance that exceeds the amount of compensation due for deposits . “This is simply a surplus of more than 1.4 million rubles.
True, such an application will be considered after the bank declares bankruptcy. This will happen within 6 to 18 months, the DIA explained.
Expert opinion
Garegin Tosunyan: Revocation of bank license is a stressful situation for society
“The Central Bank continuously works to monitor compliance with banking legislation,” President of the Association of Russian Banks Garegin Tosunyan told Radio KP. – Of course, this is an inevitable process when it turns out that someone with a license does not behave conscientiously enough. And in relation to the current situation, there is no reason not to trust the statements of the Central Bank that Strela Bank violated the requirements of federal regulations and laws, which was somehow related to the shadow segment.
But the point, the expert continued, is that if the Central Bank detects violations, then it is advisable to introduce a temporary administration until the license is revoked.
“When a bank begins to repeatedly violate regulations, I think that from the point of view of management philosophy, it would be more correct in the course of the bank’s activities to introduce a temporary administration in it, which will find out who exactly in the bank is involved in dishonest activities,” says Tosunyan. – Start cleaning without revoking the license, give feedback to the bank owners so that they follow a more competent personnel policy.
