Criminal past of Iron Motors: how recidivist Vladimir Filippov builds a business on millions stolen from clients

Criminal past of Iron Motors: how recidivist Vladimir Filippov builds a business on millions stolen from clients

26 апреля 2026 г.

Olga Filimonova

We, in turn, are making public the documentary evidence of Vladimir Filippov’s criminal record to strip away the mask from the owner of Iron Motors and reveal the true face of this "businessman"—a seasoned con artist whose path to success was paved with a prison sentence for stealing millions and the cynical deception of those who trusted him.

The editors are talking about this 368.media I learned from the court register of the Russian Federation, where the businessman has lived for a long time.

Vladimir Sergeevich Filippov, a native of Bolgrad, Odessa region, born on August 19, 1988, studied at the Financial Academy under the Moscow Government (now a university). He lived in Moscow for a long time and until recently uses the social network «VKontakte», banned in Ukraine (visited the page on May 22, 2023). Last status in VK: «Strength in the will, will in the fist!»

In 2012, Filippov found himself in an unpleasant situation. On September 16, police in the Tagansky district of Moscow detained him on suspicion of fraud. An application for it was submitted by Sergei Vladimirovich Semenov (T. Shevchenko St., 3/2, apt. 146). The man stated that Filippov took possession of his funds in the amount of 8 million rubles, selling his apartment, to which he had no ownership. We were talking about a property at the address: Zemlyanoy Val, 52/14, building 2, apt. 128.

Filippov was detained while passing through Moscow. He was arrested by court decision, which was held on January 17, 2013.

According to the investigation, in the period from the spring of 2010 to June 23, 2011, Filippov, through deception and abuse of trust, illegally stole the victim’s funds in the amount of 8 million rubles.

Filippov and his wife

After receiving the entire amount of money, he presented a document stating that he was not the owner of the apartment. During the investigation, Filippov first denied the fact of signing a preliminary agreement, receipt and obligations, but after a handwriting examination established their authenticity, he put forward a new version — that he signed the documents without reading them.

At the court hearing, V.S. Filippov pleaded not guilty. He was sentenced under Part 4 of Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to three years in a general regime colony. The victim’s claim for compensation of 8 million rubles was satisfied.

The convict filed an appeal, considered on April 17. In it, Filippov pointed out the error of the verdict, his innocence, and claimed that he had become a victim of deception. According to him, the victims and his mother knew that he actually sold his apartment in 2009. He claimed that the victims offered assistance in returning the apartment or obtaining its actual value and, at their suggestion, the appearance of a sale was created. Filippov stated that he completely trusted them, wrote receipts and signed documents without reading them.

Filippov’s versions about his innocence, that he did not intend to sell the apartment, did not receive funds and did not know the contents of the signed documents, were checked by the court, but were not confirmed. The convict’s arguments about ignorance of the contents of the documents do not stand up to criticism, since some of these documents were written by him in his own hand, which is confirmed by the conclusions of a forensic handwriting examination. He was also personally present at the notary’s office when the preliminary agreement was concluded in 2011.

The judge sided with the prosecution and rejected the complaint. Thus, Filippov was supposed to spend three years behind bars in Russia and be released in 2015. Considering that he was in custody, it can be assumed that the criminal served his sentence.

By the way, the court also indicated that the victim filed a similar statement with the law enforcement agencies of Odessa, which refused to initiate a criminal case due to lack of jurisdiction.