A Russian twist on an old scam

Or, "Toto, I don't think we're in Nigeria anymore."


From: MIHAI ANDREI
Reply-To: mihaiandreipj2007@yahoo.com
Organization: MIHAI ANDREI
To:
Subject: MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TRANSACTION.
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:55:09 -0500

Good Day Friend,

Kindly accept my apology for contacting you via this medium. Although, we have never met before. Nevertheless, I have every reason to believe that you are a highly respected and trustworthy personality. I got your contact through your country's chambers of commerce and Industry.Although, I don't know you personally but I believe God has made this contact possible and also hope you will not disappoint me for trusting you.

Permit me to seek your attention in so informal a manner. I am MIHAI ANDREI, one of the Accounts Directors to MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY, the richest man in Russia and owner of the following companies; Chairman CEO: YUKOS OIL(Russian Largest Oil Company) Chairman CEO: Menatep SBP Bank (A well reputable financial institution with its branches all over the world). I seek your partnership in an urgent financial business of US$28 Million. (Twenty Eight Million United States Dollars).

My Boss MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY was arrested in October 2003 for his involvement in politics and the financing of opposing political parties (the Union of Right Forces, led by Boris Nemtsov, and Yabloko,a liberal/social democratic party led by Gregor Yavlinsky) which posed a treat to President Vladimir Putin's second tenure as Russian president before he was re-elected On March 14, 2004. You can read more of this on the web sites below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3213505.stm
http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2003/11/13/51215.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0920791.html
http://www.khodorkovskytrial.com

The Russian Government Authority had already concluded plans to freeze all the accounts in the name of Mikhail Khodorkovsky both corporate and personal. However, in other to boost the investor confidence in the Russian Economy, also approved the payment of millions of Dollars to all YUKOS OIL Contractors and Suppliers.

The Fund US$28M involved was approved by the Russian Authorities as part of payments to the various YUKOS OIL contractors/suppliers to prevent them from loosing the money they invested in the numerous contracts they executed for the above YUKOS OIL. I had connived with the Accountant General of YUKOS OIL (who is also my partner in this business) to raise a memo stating that YUKOS OIL owed US$28M to a foreign contractor.

The Russian Authority finally approved this amount for payment after some deliberations. Actually, we have paid all our contractors both local and foreign because they agitated for their payment when they heard that my boss was arrested.

We intend to present you or your company as one of the contractors we owe so that you can stand as the beneficiary of the above sum according to your financial strength or the strength of your company. We will make all arrangements for the documentation, which the payee bank will need to transfer the sum to your nominated account. We have decided to use part of this sum to relocate our families out of Russia due to the present insecurity we face. We cannot lay direct claims to this payment, as we need to present a foreign person or company to stand as the beneficiary.

This business is safe and we will be willing to reward you with 20% of the total sum for your partnership. As soon as I get your willingness to assist us and your direct contact telephone and fax numbers, I will provide more details. Thank you.

Best Regards,
Mihai Andrei.

NB: PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO RESPOND ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESSBELOW FOR SECURITY REASONS: Email: mihai_andrei1@sify.com OR mihaiandreipj2007@yahoo.com