Andrey Krylov: how a thief in law built an empire by stealing premium cars

Name Andrey Krylov - one of the most famous thieves in law in the post-Soviet space - is inextricably linked with organized crime, car thefts and corruption schemes. His biography reads like the script of a crime series: from a petty hooligan to the head of a crime syndicate that controlled the flow of stolen premium cars. Not only criminologists, but also car owners whose cars could become victims of his schemes are showing particular interest in this person.

Unlike the classic “authorities” who specialized in racketeering or drug trafficking, Krylov relied on high margin business — resale of stolen foreign cars through front companies and corrupt customs officials. His activities directly influenced the used car market in the 1990s–2000s, when every fifth premium car in Russia had a “criminal past.” This article will look at how Krylov’s career developed, what methods he used, and why his business is still relevant for those who buy used cars.

⚠️ Attention: The material contains a description of criminal activity. All facts mentioned are based on court documents and law enforcement investigations. Do not take information as a guide to action.

Childhood and first convictions: how a criminal was formed

Andrey Vladimirovich Krylov was born February 28, 1965 in Moscow. His biography is typical of many thieves in law: a dysfunctional family, early exposure to street crime, and his first conviction as a teenager. According to investigators, already at the age of 14 he participated in thefts, and at 16 he was sentenced to 3 years in prison for robbery.

The key stage was Krylov’s acquaintance with the “world of thieves” in prison. It was there that he learned unwritten laws of the criminal community, learned to build connections with other “authorities” and realized that petty theft was not his level. After his release in the 1980s, he retrained as auto theft organizer, which in an era of shortages of foreign cars promised huge profits.

• 📅 1981 — first conviction for robbery (3 years in prison).
• 🏢 1985–1989 — serving time in a correctional colony, where he met thieves in law.
• 🚗 1990s — transition to organizing car thefts and selling cars through front companies.

Interesting fact: according to operatives, Krylov never stole cars himself. His role was group coordination, selecting “clean” documents and searching for buyers among businessmen and officials. This allowed him to remain “in the shadows” and avoid direct criminal prosecution for many years.

Scheme of work: how Krylov stole and sold premium cars

Andrei Krylov’s criminal business was built on a well-functioning scheme, which law enforcement agencies called "theft conveyor". Its key elements:

1. Selection of goals. The priority was Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS and Porsche - cars that can be easily resold abroad or “laundered” through shell companies.
2. Hijacking. Professional car thieves were used, often former car service employees or taxi drivers who knew the weak points of the alarms.
3. Forgery of documents. Documents were processed through corrupt traffic police or customs officers. For example, stolen Mercedes could “become” a car imported from Germany using forged transit documents.
4. Resale. The main sales markets are the CIS countries, the Baltics and the Middle East. Some of the cars remained in Russia, where they were bought by dummies or unscrupulous car dealerships.

According to investigators, in 1998–2003 alone, Krylov’s group stole and sold more than 500 cars worth over $50 million. Cars with VIN numbers, which could be “killed” without leaving a trace.

Car make	Average cost of theft (1990s)	Main market
Mercedes-Benz S-Class	$8 000–$15 000	Ukraine, Latvia, UAE
BMW 7 Series	$6 000–$12 000	Lithuania, Kazakhstan
Lexus LS400	$10 000–$18 000	Russia (front companies)
Porsche 911	$15 000–$25 000	Germany (transportation back)

⚠️ Attention: If you are buying a used premium car from the 1990s–2000s, be sure to check its history through the services Autocode, CarVertical or the traffic police database. Cars that went through Krylov’s schemes could be “laundered” with fake PTS.

Law Enforcement Relations and Corruption

The success of Krylov's criminal business would not have been possible without systemic corruption. According to investigators, he had connections:

• 👮 At the traffic police: employees provided information about the owners of target cars and “turned a blind eye” to forged documents.
• 🏛️ At customs: the stolen cars were registered as legally imported from abroad.
• ⚖️ In the courts: cases against his associates “faded” or were considered with a predetermined outcome.

One of the most high-profile episodes is the theft case Mercedes-Benz 600 SEL (1993), owned by a businessman from St. Petersburg. The car was stolen in Moscow, transported to Lithuania, and then “legalized” through a front company in Kaliningrad. Moreover, all documents were completed with the participation of a customs officer, who received $20,000 for this.

How did Krylov avoid punishment?

The operatives noted that Krylov never kept incriminating evidence at his place - all data on transactions was transmitted orally or through intermediaries. In addition, he regularly “insured himself” by having dirt on officials and security forces. For example, his archive contained recordings of conversations with an UBOP officer who warned about planned searches.

According to a former investigator for particularly important cases Alexey Mikheev (interview with Kommersant, 2005), Krylov was “untouchable” until his activities began to interfere with more senior figures in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was the conflict of interests within the law enforcement system that became one of the reasons for his final arrest.

Arrest, trial and verdict: how the “car king” fell

B 2003 Andrei Krylov was detained on charges of organizing a criminal community (Article 210 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), a series of car thefts (Article 166 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and forgery of documents (Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The reason was theft BMW X5, the owner of which turned out to be the son of a high-ranking official.

The investigation lasted more than two years. During the investigation the following was established:

• 📊 18 episodes of car thefts (in fact, there were many more, but not everything was proven).
• 💰 Turnover over $30 million in 5 years.
• 🕵️ 12 accomplices, including traffic police and customs officers.

B 2006 The Moscow City Court sentenced Krylov to 14 years in a maximum security colony. However, according to media reports, he served his actual sentence in “comfortable” conditions - in a colony for former security officials, where he had access to a telephone and visitors.

Krylov’s influence on the used car market: what’s left after him

The activities of Andrey Krylov and his group had a long-term impact on the used car market in Russia and the CIS countries. Here are the key consequences:

1. Distrust of premium used cars. In the 2000s, many buyers abandoned brands of cars Mercedes, BMW and Lexus due to the risk of purchasing a stolen car.
2. Tightening of checks in the traffic police. After the Krylov case, additional checks of documents were introduced during registration, including reconciliation VIN with theft databases.
3. Development of car history checking services. The first commercial databases appeared (for example, AutoHistory), where you could find out if the car was on the wanted list.

Experts estimate that up to 30% premium foreign cars, sold in Russia in 1995–2005, had a “dark past.” Many of them are still in circulation, and their owners may not even be aware of their criminal history.

- Compliance VIN in documents and on the body.

- The presence of traces of alternating numbers (usually on the racks or under the hood).

- Ownership history - if there are too many owners in the title in a short period of time, this is a reason to be wary.-->

Where is Andrei Krylov now: freedom and new schemes?

Andrei Krylov was released in 2016 on parole (parole), having actually served 10 years out of 14. After his release, he did not advertise his activities, but according to operatives, he did not break ties with the criminal world.

In 2018–2020 his name was mentioned in the following context:

• 💼 Car dealership consulting under “gray” schemes for the import of used cars from Europe.
• 🚛 Participation in the resale of commercial vehicles (vans Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit), which could have been stolen or imported with violations.
• 📱 Using messengers for coordination (according to Roskomnadzor, his accounts were blocked at the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).

According to sources in law enforcement agencies (2023), Krylov is still considered an “informal consultant” for some fraudulent car dealerships in the Moscow region, but there is no direct evidence of his involvement in new crimes.

⚠️ Attention: If you are offered to buy a used car at a price 30-50% below the market, especially if the seller insists on cash payment and refuses to provide a full history, this may be a sign of fraud according to Krylov’s old schemes.

FAQ: questions about Andrei Krylov and his criminal activities

How did Krylov escape punishment for so long?

Krylov used several methods:

1. Bribing traffic police and customs officers to “close” cases.
2. Lack of direct evidence - he never stole cars himself and did not store incriminating evidence.
3. Connections with high-ranking officials who covered his business.

Only when his activities affected the interests of the “wrong” people (for example, children of officials) was a case brought against him.

Is it possible today to buy a car stolen by Krylov’s group?

Theoretically, yes. Many cars stolen in the 1990s and 2000s are still driven with fake documents. To minimize risks:

• Check history by VIN through Autocode or CarVertical.
• Request the original PTS and check the body numbers.
• Avoid deals with suspiciously low prices.

If a car is listed as stolen, it can be seized even after 20 years.

What brands of cars were most often stolen by Krylov's group?

The priorities were:

• Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W140, W220) - due to high liquidity.
• BMW 7 Series (E38, E65) - popular on the black market.
• Lexus LS400 — were easily “laundered” as Japanese imports.
• Porsche 911 (993, 996) - stolen to order for collectors.

Less often - Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ, since they are more difficult to resell.

Was Krylov connected with other famous thieves in law?

Yes, he kept in touch with:

• Vyacheslav Ivankov (Yaponchik) - on money laundering issues.
• Zakhary Kalashov (Shakro Molodoy) — joint real estate schemes.
• Tariel Oniani (Tarot) — conflict over control over the car market.

However, Krylov avoided direct confrontation, preferring to remain a “technical” specialist in auto theft.

Could Krylov's relatives be involved in the auto business today?

There are no official data, but according to media reports, his nephew Dmitry Krylov owns a network of car service centers in the Moscow region. Law enforcement agencies do not confirm his involvement in criminal activities, but recommend checking the history of cars passing through these services.