The Bank of Russia spent almost three years investigating possible manipulations through the Telegram channels "RynkiDengiVlast|RDV", "Volk s Mosbirzhi" (Wolf from Moscow Exchange), and "Signaly RTsB" (RTsB Signals). The regulator checked whether the authors used their influence on subscribers to profit from price movements.
The scheme could have looked like this: an influencer would make a securities transaction in advance, and then publish news, a recommendation, or a call that could prompt the audience to buy or sell. After the subscribers' reaction, the price could change, and the author could close the position on more favorable terms.
To confirm a violation, a mere coincidence of a publication and a price jump was not enough. The Central Bank had to compare the timing of messages with the actual actions of investors, individually examine each operation, and calculate the income received. In the RDV case alone, the count ran into tens of thousands of transactions.
It's not just about describing the general facts, but literally examining each operation and calculating the income received.
The regulator did not disclose which specific securities were involved in the investigation or how much the participants earned. It is only known that the income exceeded 3.75 million rubles – the threshold after which criminal liability may arise.
All three Telegram channels continue to operate. At the same time, the Central Bank currently sees no direct signs of market manipulation in their activities.