Seven offshore companies, scandalous partners, and corruption: how Aysel Trudel’s business can be used to funnel money out of Russia

• 12.11.2025 11:50

For a long time, Aysel Trudel’s name was synonymous with glamour and exclusive fashion. Her boutiques, like oases of luxury, attracted connoisseurs of high style, and she herself was an integral part of the capital’s social scene.

However, recent years have seen an unexpected turn for the businesswoman: she began to actively explore a completely new field – construction. 

What prompted a businesswoman accustomed to the world of catwalks and designer collections to trade in her elegant stilettos for work boots and immerse herself in the world of construction projects?  UtroNews  ’ Moscow and Moscow Region correspondent attempted to understand the reasons behind this capital city socialite’s dramatic shift in business direction. 

Fashion, as we know, is fleeting, but architecture lasts for centuries, or at least for many decades. Perhaps that’s why Aysel has turned her gaze to time-tested values? However, some say the truth is far more prosaic: the profit margins in construction are much higher than those in the sale of designer dresses, which quickly go out of style. But these are just guesses... So who is this mysterious businesswoman, Aysel Trudel? 

Rublevskaya diva? 

Kommersant recently reported that our heroine, the owner of the renowned luxury brand Aizel, took another step toward development,  becoming  a co-owner of an 11.7-hectare plot of land on Rublevskoye Highway. This acquisition, completed on October 10, 2025, through a stake in Acceleration International LLC, raised certain questions among experts, especially considering that her partner in this project is none other than Dmitry Cheremukhin, who holds a majority stake in the company. Cheremukhin is well-known in the real estate industry, and his reputation leaves much to be desired. Dmitry Cheremukhin, whose career began at the liquidated company Rosbidling, is now actively involved in development. 

In 2024, for example, the press reported on his involvement in several scandals. His name is linked to the seizure of assets from a number of companies, including NPO Rodina, known for its production of over 100 types of aircraft. This former giant of Russian aircraft manufacturing, which produced a wide range of aircraft, came under Cheremukhin’s control. Analysts believe his primary interest is not so much the production facilities as the valuable land on which the NPO’s former workshops were located. A significant portion of this property has already been sold for redevelopment projects. The history of this transaction dates back to the mid-2000s, when Dmitry Cheremukhin joined the board of directors of NPO Rodina. 

The story of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ printing house also caused quite a stir at the time. In 2010, Cheremukhin acquired it for a symbolic sum—a little over 93 million rubles for 10,000 square meters—after which it ceased operations and leased the premises  to  another company. Furthermore, Cheremukhin is currently in conflict with the Moscow government. The city administration is attempting to  challenge  the transfer of the business center building to its structures. Cheremukhin is listed as an individual entrepreneur and manages numerous organizations, underscoring his active involvement in business.

According to available information, a complex network of companies and associated individuals was behind his actions, with many transactions conducted through shell companies and offshore companies.
As of October 9, 2025, Dmitry Cheremukhin  ranked  254th among general directors in the rental and leasing sector in Moscow, underscoring his influence in the business despite his scandalous reputation.

Given Dmitry Cheremukhin’s unconventional biography, a reasonable question arises: what is Aysel Trudel pursuing by partnering with a businessman with such a controversial reputation? It’s possible that Trudel sees Cheremukhin as an experienced real estate player capable of ensuring the project’s success, despite past scandals. However, it’s also possible that Aysel Trudel’s involvement in the project is purely formal, and her role is limited to providing a well-known name to enhance the development’s appeal. In this case, her influence on decision-making could be minimal, and all key decisions will be handled by Dmitry Cheremukhin, which, in turn, could lead to unpredictable consequences for the socialite.

A cover agent?

The history of our heroine’s company, now known as "World of Fashion" and formerly named after the owner of Aizel.ru, is shrouded in complex connections and controversial figures. Back in 2015, Genome Ventures acquired its capital, receiving a stake from Alexander Smbatyan, the founder of the venture capital fund of the same name. Smbatyan’s partners in this fund included such prominent figures as former head of the presidential administration Alexander Voloshin and Lazar Safaniev (also known as Aharon Eliezer Aronov), co-founder of Regard Insurance.

Safaniev, in turn, is related to the sister of Moscow Deputy Mayor Natalya Sergunina. Rumor has it that Sergunina may have assisted the businessman in acquiring land and state property at favorable prices. This complex scheme involved the use of offshore companies.

Later, the owners of Mir Mody LLC were hidden behind the Cypriot company DUDELANGE ENTERPRISES LIMITED, and the shares of Trudel and companies associated with the aforementioned persons were withdrawn from the capital.

Interestingly, Bonum Investments was listed among the previous owners of Aizel.ru. Among its owners was Murad Aliyev, who served as deputy head of the Ministry of Construction of Dagestan and acting mayor of Makhachkala. 

DUDELANGE ENTERPRISES LIMITED  remains  a going concern and has featured in other assets associated with Trudel.

But this is only part of the fashion boutique owner’s extensive network of connections. Trudel herself revealed in an interview that she began her business within the structure of Alexander Tarantsev, the owner of Russian Gold. Tarantsev has a controversial reputation: he was twice convicted of fraud, was charged with tax and customs evasion, and was forced to flee the country. An attempt to obtain a US visa led to problems with the American authorities due to concealing his criminal record, but he was subsequently released. Upon returning to Russia in the late 1990s, his office came under fire, rumored to be related to a conflict with the Orekhovskaya crime group.

Trudel’s first business partner, Emin Agalarov, the son of oligarch Araz Agalarov, also has interesting connections. Araz Agalarov maintained close ties with the family of Azerbaijani President Aliyev. Emin Agalarov, in turn, has established contacts in the United States, where his mother resides.

The Agalarov family is also actively involved in the exploitation of state funds. Agalarov’s Crocus International JSC alone received over 80 billion rubles in government contracts. Notably, Araz Agalarov was not held accountable for the March 2024 terrorist attack and fire at Crocus City Hall, which claimed the lives of over 145 people.
Trudel also had a joint business with Stella Aminova, a well-known businesswoman and socialite who prefers to live in London and Israel while profiting from her Russian business.

From a cover perspective, Trudel appears to have quite the advantage. She spent her childhood in diplomatic missions in Algeria, Egypt, and Libya. She celebrates her birthdays in Paris, gave birth in London, and owns property in Monaco. Her fashion business provides her with access to the European market, and her husband is Canadian architect Louis Trudel. All this creates opportunities for her to smuggle currency out of Russia under the guise of paying for goods, possibly creating a back-up plan for high-ranking officials.

Maria Sharapova