Melnikov Denies Charges in Finnish Court — YLE News
In Turku, Finland, the Court of Appeal is hearing the case of Russian millionaire Pavel Melnikov, linked to the company Airiston Helmi. Melnikov denies charges of tax evasion and undeclared payments to employees.
In February 2025, the Southwest Finland District Court sentenced Melnikov to one and a half years of suspended imprisonment for aggravated tax fraud and an aggravated accounting offence. The court of first instance dismissed most of the other charges. According to YLE News, hearings at the Court of Appeal began in late August and are expected to continue until November.
Positions of the parties
The prosecution alleges that Melnikov evaded taxes through Airiston Helmi and made undeclared payments to employees. According to the prosecution, the company was used as a cover for such operations.
Melnikov completely rejects these claims. He stated that money he withdrew from ATMs was kept in safes and intended for personal use rather than for paying salaries. During the investigation, police seized around €3.5 million from the safes.
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According to Melnikov, this amount was not significant compared with his company’s annual turnover, which he estimated at €200 million. He also stated that the state returned the money to him, which, in his view, indicates that it was not unlawful.
Signatures and health condition
Melnikov describes himself primarily as an investor and shareholder and claims that he learned about his position on Airiston Helmi’s board of directors only from the police investigation materials. He denies holding an executive position at the company.
According to him, he submitted to the court two independent handwriting expert opinions — one from Russia and one from Latvia. Melnikov claims they indicate that signatures were forged in documents naming him as the company’s founder and chairman of the board of directors.
Melnikov also criticized police raids on Airiston Helmi properties in 2018 and stated that the court proceedings had seriously affected his health. The case also considers charges of aggravated fraud involving payments to the employment pension insurance system.
