Billionaire Oleg Deripaska Allegedly Linked to Underage Prostitution Ring, Investigative Report Reveals

An investigation into a Russian prostitution network involving minors has revealed accusations that billionaire Oleg Deripaska was a client, according to a recent report by the exiled media outlets Vyorstka and IStories.

The alleged sex trafficking operation reportedly functioned from at least 2018 to 2019 under the guise of regional teenage beauty contests, modeling agencies, and dating websites, as reported by journalists citing law enforcement documents supplied by an anonymous informant.

In 2019, Russian authorities identified at least four underage victims and brought criminal charges against five individuals. One victim reportedly testified that Deripaska had been a patron of the ring, according to the Thursday report.

Between 2022 and 2024, three of the defendants received prison sentences of up to six years. Of the remaining two, one is currently sought by Russian authorities, while the other has successfully avoided extradition from Austria.

The sole male defendant in the case allegedly joined the Wagner mercenary group to participate in the conflict in Ukraine, later receiving a commendation for his courage.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, which handles significant criminal cases, did not respond to inquiries from Vyorstka and IStories.

An unnamed police investigator disclosed to these outlets that prosecutors instructed them to cease the inquiry into Deripaska concerning the alleged sex ring. The investigator remarked, «Our superiors, following the prosecutors’ orders, told us to steer clear.»

Deripaska’s assistant and his aluminum company, Rusal, did not reply to requests for comments.

Another purported client, businessman Alexander Usov, escaped to Austria, which has refused Moscow’s extradition request. The report characterizes Usov as a business associate of former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov’s family and notes that he secured significant construction contracts in St. Petersburg.

After the investigative report was published on Thursday, both Vyorstka and IStories reported experiencing coordinated cyberattacks on their websites and social media platforms.

In 2018, the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny accused Deripaska of being connected to a young Belarusian escort during 2016-2017, claims that Deripaska denied at the time, dismissing Navalny’s video investigation as defamatory.