Translated material
The owners and apprentices
The New Times survey
1. Why did depositors trust the master bank so much, although since 2010 the media have written about his problems? 2. Why did the Central Bank take a hurry to cover the bank, known on the market of cashing out since 2007? 3. Why did the Central Bank withdraw a license right now? 4. Finally, who will take the place of the master bank in the field of the withdrawal of capital and cashing?
The New Times asked these questions to knowledgeable people
1. "Master" and its clients 
Clients continued to keep money in the master bank for two reasons. The first, as they say, Too Big to Fail. The master bank was one of the largest in the market, it seemed that nothing could happen to him. The second, specific for Russia: everyone knew that the master bank is engaged in cashily the money, but everyone knew that in Russia they are poorly fighting with such activities that it is confirmed by the low cost of cashing services is a clear sign that it is safe. For some part of the depositors, the guarantee was the presence in the top management of the bank Igor Putin, and before that Alexei Patrushev (nephew of the Secretary of Submarine Nikolai Patrushev.-The New Times). 
Russia is a country where there is no rule of law. Russia is a country of relations. The owner of the master bank (Boris Bulchik.-The New Times) is a very sociable person. During this communication, special conditions were stipulated for individuals, public and/or influential people: they kept their deposits at special interest, received loans on special conditions. It seemed that these special relations would be a guarantee of depositors from threats and risks. 
In Russia, people have no habit of bear responsibility for their finances. The bank gave excessive interest (according to deposit deposits), as he was engaged in cash out the funds and earned it on this. Plus, the reluctance to track what is happening to the bank, although the media wrote a lot about the bank’s affairs: this is one of the reasons why the “physicists” did not recall the funds. As for legal entities, they probably had their own, deeply personal relations. 
| *Such an amount in case of bankruptcy of the bank guarantees the payment of the State Investigation Insurance Agency. |
The presence of high patrons - Igor Putin and nephew Patrushev - was extremely significant. It was significant even for me - I placed my deposits in this bank within 700 thousand rubles*. Everyone thought that the bank is an unfulfilled. Under the old manual of the Central Bank, this worked - they were afraid to approach him.
2. Luck "Master" 
If the bank is engaged in illegal banking operations, then this is known in the corresponding power structures that should oversee them and fight this. If the bank for a long time could work fearlessly and recklessly and earn money on this, then this means only one thing: people fighting this phenomenon were in a share. In addition, often such banks are used to see: who uses the services of these banks? And go an even wider net. 
It can be assumed that the bank knew how to protect itself through patronage: otherwise, its behavior cannot be regarded otherwise than suicidal. The Central Bank suffers cases of illegal activity if, after its requirements, the commercial bank stops this activity. If the bank does not comply with the instructions of the Central Bank, then we will learn about this from the press: only in 2013, 14 licenses with explanations were withdrawn - “Doubtful operations” and “Failure to fulfill normative prescriptions”
Evsey Gurvich: The master bank was not recalled, although there were grounds back in 2010, because the domino effect could happen, especially in the post-crisis period. Now, apparently, the Central Bank decided that the time had come to heal the system.
3. The roof was demolished 
Why now? I think that this is largely the handwriting of the new team (head of the Central Bank) Elvira Nabiullina - she is much less ready to compromise. The review of the license from the master bank is the so-called Deeping Point-a very serious, for many years to come the market signal. The signal that the regulator is ready to make a license to feed, despite the difficulties that this creates for the system as a whole. This is a very important sanitary and hygienic measure. I think that the Elvira team opened Pandora's box and created a precedent.
| ** In July 2013, information was held that a group of illegal bankers was disclosed, who in five years legalized $ 36 billion rubles; The master bank was also mentioned, whose armored car transported cash. |
Oleg Vyugin: If you look at the events since July **, then everything went to this (review of the license). Nabiullina is a fairly fundamental person, she personally is ready to take risks on herself. But in any significant position, whether it be the Minister of Finance, a member of the government office, decisions are not made on the basis of their own courage: all such decisions are made in agreement or by understanding. There must be a mandate, and not even in relation to a specific bank, but on principled things. In any case, this is still a risk, since the negative consequences of the recall of the license will be written off on Nabiullina. But the issue of cleaning the banking system has long been on the agenda. The change of chairman was a good opportunity to launch this process. 
The Central Bank recalls a license at the bank if the bank retains poor indicators in a row in a row. Previously, the master bank was held on the verge. But now several reasons have been superimposed: the bank violated the standards for a very long time, violated reporting, and pursued a risky credit policy. Even on the latter, as they say, he managed to deploy a campaign to attract additional funds from the population. But I do not associate the story with the master bank with the advent of Nabiullina in the Central Bank. Rather, the standards and requirements are more intensified in accordance with Basel-3 (new standards that tighten the requirements for the adequacy of banks, enter into force on January 1, 2014.-The New Times).
Will this bring (the review of the license from the master bank) to problems with other banks? If Sberbank selects the processing center of the master bank, then its partners will resist.
Oleg Sysuev: It seems to me that the owners played. After all, such a business is also a pyramid. She has its end. And the regulator (Central Bank) saw that the situation was becoming too dangerous, and if you pull with the review of the license, then the state will have to spend much more money than the 30 billion that will now have to be paid as insurance payments to depositors.
Irina Khakamada: The bank was roofed, and now the roof has flown away. The bank remained defenseless - judging by the number of police officers who, as TV showed us, are now in the apartments of all managers of the bank.
Maxim Osadchiy: I think that Elvira Nabiullina needs to cast the medal "For the capture of the master bank."
4. Holy place 
| ***Cm. Investigation of Natalia Moral in The New Times No. 15, 16, 17, 20, 28, 31, 35, 40 for 2007; No. 13 for 2008. This is the investigation, as well as the material of the “Black Cash desk of the Kremlin” in No. 44 dated 10.12.2007. It was the reason that on December 16, 2007, Natalia Moral was not allowed into the country. According to rumors, I.I. personally gave the order Sechin. After the four years of struggle, in March 2012, with the personal participation of President Dmitry Medvedev, Natalya Morar was able to come to Russia. |
The master bank was engaged in cashing, laundering and withdrawal of funds. There is no empty place in Russia: there is a huge demand for all three types of operations. And if earlier a large player in this area was the discount bank ***, then after it disappeared, the master bank appeared. And in this regard, I have great suspicions that what happened to the master bank is the struggle for cash flows and after a while we will find out that some other bank arose at the site of the master bank. Just because there is a demand for such services. And moreover, the entire economic design forces the demand for such services to present.
Andrey Borodin: Russia is a country of unlimited possibilities. I will not be surprised at anything. They can plant everyone, they can let everyone go, they can take a license, can be returned. Everything can be in our country.