Taxi Scam Trial Opens in Khimki

A fresh trial has begun in the Moscow suburb of Khimki over an organised crime ring that systematically overcharged passengers at Sheremetyevo airport. On 23 July, the Khimki City Court started hearing the case of five taxi drivers — Anvarjon Mallaev, Ogsen Manukyan, Yusuf Tamalov, Denis Terekhov and Artur Yusupov — who are accused of being part of a sprawling criminal enterprise that preyed on travellers, including soldiers returning from the war in Ukraine.

According to investigators, the group routinely charged many times the real fare. One victim was forced to pay 61,500 roubles (about €590) just to get from the airport to Paveletsky railway station, a journey that normally costs a fraction of that. Another passenger was charged 39,850 roubles for a trip to Kazansky station, while a third handed over 35,000 roubles for the ride to Yaroslavsky station after being falsely told the price was “low cost”.

The drivers are part of a much larger case involving around 40 defendants and more than 60 episodes of crime. Prosecutors say the organised group operated on airport territory from 2018, using a front company called OOO “Vega” to disguise its activities. It is alleged to have been set up by leaders of the Lobnya criminal clan and included not only taxi drivers but also “beggars”, “hailers”, “enforcers” and even corrupt police officers from the local transport police.

Several taxi drivers have already been convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms of 10 to 17 years. The current hearing is the latest in a series of trials that have been splitting the large group into smaller batches. The defendants face charges ranging from participation in an organised criminal community to multiple counts of large-scale fraud, robbery, armed robbery and extortion.

The System that Exploited Soldiers and Travelers

The Mechanics of an Airport Racket

The scheme exploited the vulnerability of passengers arriving in a foreign-language environment or under stress. According to the prosecution, the group used a division of labour: “hailers” approached travellers, “enforcers” intimidated anyone who questioned the fare, and the drivers themselves collected the inflated sums. The front company OOO “Vega” lent the operation a veneer of legitimacy, making it harder for victims to identify the scam as outright crime rather than a rip-off.

Why Returning Soldiers Became Prime Targets

From February 2022 onwards, the gang increasingly targeted military personnel on leave from the combat zone. Many were in a state of alcohol intoxication, the case files state, which made them less likely to dispute the fares. The drivers’ co-defendants allegedly reassured one soldier that he had been given a special low price — when in reality the fare was several times the market rate. The episodes highlight how criminal groups can identify and exploit demographic shifts even in petty schemes.

A Slow-Motion Judicial Response

The court is processing the case in segments, with earlier trials already producing heavy sentences. The staggered approach reflects the complexity of a case spanning dozens of defendants and episodes. The prosecution’s decision to grant a deal to some key figures in exchange for testimony suggests an effort to map the full hierarchy of the group, even as fresh batches of alleged members continue to face trial.