News

The Leningrad Region Office of the Investigative Committee continues an investigation into a crime under Part 3, item “b” of Article 163 of the RF Penal Code (extortion on a very large scale) after wrongdoings committed by a group of people in Volkhov District, Leningrad Region.

The investigative and search operations conducted together with officers of the Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Region Directorate of the RF Interior Ministry have revealed that the perpetrators illegally had and carried firearms, assailed, abducted people and committed other crimes. The perpetrators were charged with crimes under Part 2, items “a” and “c’ and Part 3, item “b” of Article 163, Part 1 of Article 222, Part 4, item “b” of Article 162 and Part 2, item “a” and “h” of Article 126 of the RF Penal Code.

The investigators have revealed that the accused demanded from a businessman from Volkhov District, Leningrad Region money for a long time. At some point they abducted him and beat. Another businessman from the same area refused to give them money and was then assailed. The accused threatened him with a gun, beat him and poured boiling water over him. He then was forced to sign a paper giving the perpetrators 1.5 million rubles and his Porsche.

The investigators saw in those actions signs of a crime under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 209 of the RF Penal Code (setting up a stable armed group (gang) and membership in it) and opened another case.

The investigators have revealed that from 2008 to 2015, an ex-con from Volkhov District who had certain authority in criminal circles set up an organized armed group in Leningrad Region to assail people and organizations. Later the gang included at least 6 more people. The members of the gang committed some major crimes in Volkhov District, Leningrad Region – extortions on a very large scale from businessmen using violence and firearms and some other crimes like infliction of bodily harm, damaging property and others.

The gang stopped its activity in 2015, after its leader and members were detained. Six of the members were taken into custody, the seventh was released on recognizance. All the said cases are going to be joined to form a single lawsuit. The investigators are carrying out all necessary investigative operations to find out all the details of how the gang was set up and operating and to reveal all crimes committed by the gang.