"If I am guilty of something, I will deservedly be in prison"
His father, Pavel Vrublevsky, was called one of the most dangerous Russian hackers by the US intelligence services. Pyotr Vrublevsky himself is on the international wanted list, suspected of advertising a drug shop in the center of Moscow and organizing a series of high—profile contract arson attacks. Some victims of the attacks believe that it is Vrublevsky Jr. who is hiding under the pseudonym "The Pianist" and owns a specific "business": he accepts orders for intimidation actions on the darknet. In 2025, the objects of his attacks, among other things, were the apartments of non-agent artists — Noize MC and Oxxxymiron. In an interview with Izvestia, Pyotr Vrublevsky, who lives in Switzerland, commented on his involvement in crimes and the CIA's interest in the case of his father, who is currently being tried in the Khamovniki court on fraud charges.
"I didn't threaten the judge, I'm not interested in that."
— In April, there were reports in the media: law enforcement officers are checking information that you threatened Marina Syrova, a judge of the Khamovniki Court, who is considering your father's case. You have already denied these accusations. Tell me, what, in your opinion, is the background of this story?
— The answer is quite simple: when one of the relatives of the accused threatens the judge, the judge is changed. Naturally, the case is dragging on.
I didn't threaten the judge, I'm not interested. If I wanted to do this, I would do it very openly.
Pavel Vrublevsky, the founder of the ChronoPay payment system, accused of fraud, theft, money laundering and illegal circulation of funds of payments, at a meeting in the Khamovnicheskiy Court of Moscow
Pavel Vrublevsky is a Russian entrepreneur, the founder of a large processing company ChronoPay.
In 2013, he was convicted of organizing a hacker attack on a competitor company, the Assist payment service, which resulted in, among other things, the suspension of the electronic sale of Aeroflot air tickets. He was released on parole in 2014.
In 2022, he was arrested and sent to jail on charges of large-scale fraud and theft by an organized group.
— As far as I know, the threats were made on behalf of a man known as "The Pianist." He is, among other things, behind a series of high-profile arson attacks on cars, real estate of businessmen and foreign artists such as Noize MC and Oxxxymiron. It has been claimed in the media more than once that you are the "Pianist". Explain, what do you have to do with this "brand"?
— I only know about the "Pianist" from the news, because I am constantly tied to it. I am not a "Pianist" myself.
— But during our conversation, behind your back, there is a painting with a treble clef, the signature "autograph" that performers hired by the "Pianist" leave at the arson site...
— My friends gave it to me, laughing at the fact that the media called me a "Pianist." I've been playing the piano myself since I was four years old, and studied at the Central Music School at the Moscow State Conservatory for two years. That's probably why they decided to connect me [with an anonymous character from the darknet].
— But the fact that you are the "Pianist" is also claimed by victims of arson cases...
— And law enforcement agencies have never claimed in their life that Pyotr Vrublevsky is a "Pianist".
— Then let's move directly to your criminal prosecution. How can you explain the reason for your departure from Russia?
— I left Russia to study. On January 3, 2022, we flew to the Maldives with the whole family. Before that, I enrolled in a Swiss school and applied for a visa to Switzerland. On January 25, we returned from the Maldives, and on January 26, I immediately flew directly to Switzerland, to the city of Montreux. That is, about a month before the start of its.
— And what are you doing now in Switzerland, in exile? Why aren't you coming back?
— I would not call it emigration. I'm not coming back because I'm wanted. I think this is absolutely unfair and unfair. I'm not ready to be responsible for things that I didn't do.
I don't really like Switzerland. I love Moscow. With all my heart. I am generally a patriot of my homeland. Vladimir Putin is our president. I love him, honestly.
"But it has nothing to do with you?"
"Nothing." Absolutely. About returning to your homeland… I have a crazy dream of returning to Moscow, walking around my favorite places, and going to the Pushkin restaurant, where they cook my favorite Pozharsky cutlet.
"I receive regular threats"
— And in Switzerland, how does your life work? Is he more modest?
— At the moment, yes. I've calmed down a bit lately, and I've changed my security detail. The circle of people I talk to has narrowed down. I've become more homely.
There's an Arthur's bar in Geneva, where all the bankers and traders hang out... The Jaquet Droz watch exhibition was recently held there. The owner of this brand is the son of a man who was president of Switzerland four times. We met him.
— Sorry, I'll interrupt. You move there with the guards. What are you afraid of?
— I'm afraid for my life. I have been receiving threats regularly for three years.
— What are these threats related to? Do those who send them still consider you a "Pianist"?
— Someone thinks I'm a "Pianist", someone thinks I have to pay them for being very tough bandits, someone thinks my father owes them money.…
— Let's go back to another case, in which you are also accused in Russia — this is an advertisement for a drug market place, during which a bus blocked traffic on the bridge opposite the government house. There are witnesses, the participants of this prank have been detained. They call you her inspiration.
— I only found out about this action from the news. On the morning of my birthday. I have it on December 20th. I didn't find out that I was being held there as an accused until a couple of months later, because my former friend Daniel Hasanov was arrested. Apparently, he and his father really wanted to blame someone else.
— How much are you aware of the activities on the Darknet?
— I've seen a lot of it (darknet. I studied it due to the fact that I was constantly accused of it. I was conducting a market analysis. I was wondering how it works, why it works, why the authorities allow it to work.…
— And what conclusions did you come to? After all, you come from the family of an IT businessman, and you should understand more than most how it functions...
— I have come to the conclusion that our law enforcement agencies, for which I have great respect, perhaps because of bureaucracy and other things, simply cannot reach all those who really shit on drugs and other rubbish.
— And who would you call the most dangerous representatives of this crime on the shadow Internet now?
— I would call a "Pianist", of course. He is the most dangerous person!
— It sounds like trolling... but if you're serious?
— Seriously, I've read a lot about the Ukrainian organization Khimprom, which is directly linked to the Ukrainian government. I think this is the most dangerous organization. According to my personal analysis, it occupies 80% of the darknet market at the moment. And as a patriot, this worries me very much.
— Do you mean the Russian-language darknet? Do you see Khimprom as its main beneficiary?
— Absolutely right. And behind Khimprom, I see the Ukrainian authorities.
"All my equipment has been seized and officially handed over to the CIA"
— The question about your detention in Switzerland, which was rumored. Was there such a fact and what can you tell us about it?
— On December 13, 2024, I was detained by the Federal Bureau for Combating Terrorism and Corruption on a warrant signed by the Attorney General of Bern and the Deputy Federal Minister of the Interior.
I got up in my New Year's pajamas and heard the door being kicked down on me. I opened the door and found military special forces, investigators, and operatives behind it. Formally, I was detained for writing letters — someone wrote on my behalf to the Russian embassy that I was supposedly a patriot of Ukraine, Europe had betrayed Ukraine, and the embassy needed to be burned down.
Informally, I was detained to ask questions about my father. I was interrogated for about 8 hours. Very polite. They even gave me Twix and tea. We talked for a long time on various topics. They were more interested in how much I really had to do with my father's work.
— Were they interested in any requests from Russian law enforcement agencies?
- no. They also stopped [legal] cooperation with Russia.
"Then what do they care about your father?"
— The United States sent an official request to verify my account. Accordingly, the equipment that was seized from me was officially transferred to the CIA.
— Let's talk about the source of your income. You live in Switzerland, you hire security. Where do you get the money from?
- I got to know the local traders, the Russian guys, very nice grown men. We are engaged in grain production together. Plus, I'm currently raising my father's processing company, not ChronoPay. I also have several legal businesses in Russia that are not registered with me for obvious reasons, but taxes are paid from them. That's the income I live on.
— And how much money does your business bring you?
— I don't like, you know, throwing away sums. This is wrong. But there's enough to live on. My monthly expenses are about 120-130 thousand francs (11-13 million Russian rubles at the current exchange rate. — Ed.).
"My watch is worth more than the damages in my father's case"
— Do you keep in touch with your father?
- yes. Through lawyers. And I send emails through the FSIN system.
— What is the reason that Pavel Vrublevsky ended up in jail for the second criminal case? Why didn't he realize the success story, even though he was one of the first IT businessmen in Russia?
— You understand that a criminal case with 300,000 rubles in damages is ridiculous. My watch costs four times as much. This is an absolutely fabricated criminal case.
— According to Pavel Vrublevsky, this is a story about FSB officers who arrested him, and then in 2020 they were convicted in a case of treason. Your father, according to him, acted as a witness there (the case materials are classified and were considered behind closed doors. — Ed.). What is the reason, then, that he ended up in jail again?
— Because one of the participants in this case was released on parole. Accordingly, it is not difficult to develop a chain of events as to why my father was arrested.
— Will you tell me about your own plans?
— Plans are to create a family. I have found a beautiful girl whom I love madly, I have found the right friends, the right environment. I want to live a quiet, family life, without guards, without all this public, media stuff.
— And what will you do with the criminal cases that are being dragged after you? Are you going back to Russia?
"I'll be back." But when my father is released. Then I'll deal with my criminal cases. It is absolutely legal: if I am guilty of something, I will be in prison, deservedly.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
