Russian Tech Leader Sergei Matsotsky Faces Absentia Arrest Over Bribery Allegations

Sergei Matsotsky, a co-founder of the prominent Russian IT company IBS and a key player in the nation’s technology landscape, has been arrested in absentia on charges of large-scale bribery, as announced by a Moscow court on Friday.

According to the Basmanny District Court, Matsotsky had departed Russia before the verdict was issued. Specifics regarding the allegations have not been made public.

Matsotsky, who was instrumental in developing Russia’s domestic IT sector, stands accused of making substantial bribe payments, as reported by the press service of the Moscow court system.

In 2020, Matsotsky and his IBS co-founder, Anatoly Karachinsky, divided their business interests, leading Matsotsky to establish GS-Invest, a holding firm dedicated to software development and systems integration.

He continued to maintain strong business connections with state-affiliated enterprises, engaging in discussions with Gazprombank to form a collaborative IT venture.

In 2021, Matsotsky teamed up with former Rostelecom executive Andrey Cheglakov to initiate a project called Rusim.

Additionally, he acquired L2U, a Russian company that specializes in IT support software. L2U serves a clientele that includes Matsotsky’s own firms, such as Budget and Financial Technologies and Rubitech, along with other organizations like LokoBank, Bank Soft Systems, Notamedia, and Handysoft.