Dimitry Rimskiy, Alexandra Bugrova: Russian nationals accused of money laundering to face Qld Supreme Court

A Russian couple accused of running a money laundering syndicate - via hundreds of small transactions - have been committed for trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

Alexandra Bugrova and Dmitry Rimskiy leaving the Southport Courthouse after being committed for trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court. Picture: Emily Walker

A Russian couple facing money laundering charges - by allegedly making hundreds of cash deposits at banks and ATMs - have been committed for trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

Alexandra Bugrova, 47, and Dmitry Rimskiy, 50, appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a committal, each charged with three counts of dealing in proceeds of crime etc money or property worth $1 million or more.

Police allege the couple laundered the money by making hundreds of cash deposits at banks and ATMs across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia during 2022.

A suitcase with$1.85 million excess in cash and a shopping bag with $262,000 in cash was found by the AFP. Picture: AFP

Police allege the deposits were structured to avoid detection by authorities.

The couple were charged after a 2024 AFP raid on a Gold Coast legal office where over $2 million in cash and cryptocurrency were seized following an investigation into money laundering. A search warrant executed at the couple’s Hope Island property allegedly found $425,000 in cryptocurrency plus substantial financial records.

The court heard more than $1.85 million in cash was allegedly found in a suitcase at the property with over $262,000 cash also allegedly located in a shopping bag.

In addition, the court heard Ms Bugrova and Mr Rimskiy paid off loans in cash and the deposits exceeded their reported earnings.

Since their arrest, the couple’s $15.6 million assets including a number of Gold Coast waterfront properties have been restrained by the AFP.

For the purpose of the committal, the couple’s defence team conceded Bugrova and Rimskiy, or other people acting on the couple’s behalf, deposited sums of regularly just shy of the Austrac reportable threshold of $10,000.

Defence barrister Angus Edwards KC, instructed by Hannay Lawyers, told the court his clients were trying to move money from Russia to Australia and didn’t deposit the funds the usual way to avoid consequences with Russian authorities.

Dmitry Rimskiy leaving the Southport Courthouse. Picture: Emily Walker

The court heard Ms Bugrova and Mr Rimskiy, who came to Australia in 2015, had moved between the two countries, with several businesses in Russia.

“Russia is not the same as Australia,” Mr Edward said. “ … It is engaged in a war with Ukraine and it is well known they are prone to seizing assets from the people of Russia.”

He said his clients moved the money from Russia and engaged in the conduct to avoid “poking their heads up above the parapet” and prevent their assets and businesses being stripped from them in Russia.

“The consequences are that the Russian state would become aware we had spirited money from Russia and they would shut our businesses down, take all our assets and issue warrants,” he said.

Crown prosecutor Dylan Kerr said the whether it was factually reasonable or unreasonable that the money came from Russia was a question for the jury.

“If it is the case that all this money came from Russia why was it then deposited in Australian dollars?” he said. “Why was it not deposited in roubles? Why was it not deposited in US dollars?”

Alexandra Bugrova leaving the Southport Courthouse after being committed for trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court. Picture: Emily Walker

Mr Edwards said the Crown’s case was circumstantial and was incapable of disproving all reasonable hypothesis, including the one presented by Mr Edwards.

Mr Kerr agreed the prosecution case was circumstantial but said it was possible an inference could be drawn that the money were the proceeds of crime generally from the case’s circumstances and how the money was handled.

Magistrate Kerry Magee noted the hypothesis put forward by defence but said she had no means of assessing the reasonable or otherwise of that hypothesis.

She said there was sufficient evidence and committed Bugrova and Rimskiy to trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

No pleas have been entered.

They will remain on bail which allows them to travel internationally with the consent of the Commonwealth however they are unable to apply for or renew their passports.

Mr Edwards told the court Mr Rimskiy’s passport was due for renew and Ms Bugrova’s passport was expired.

He sought for the passport conditions to be removed from the couple’s bail so that they might renew and apply for passports.

Mr Kerr reminded the court the couple have been charged with a serious offence and were foreign nationals with connections to foreign jurisdiction

Ms Magee adjourned the bail application for next Tuesday in the Southport Magistrates Court.

Originally published as Dimitry Rimskiy, Alexandra Bugrova: Russian nationals accused of money laundering to face Qld Supreme Court