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A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the Moscow Region Directorate of the Investigative Committee as sufficient to convict Igor Lipovenko, Oleg Azarov, Sergei Kazarev, Artyom Mamotko, Pavel Stekanov, Alexander Smerdov, Vladimir Balashov, Oleg Koblov, Vladislav Frolov, Vladimir Mitin and Antonina Kotova. Depending on the role of each one, they were found guilty of banditry under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 209, murder under Part 2, items “a”, “g”, “h” and “j” of Article 105, attempted murder under Part 3 of Article 30, Part 2, items “a”, “g”, “h” and “j” of Article 105, organization of murder, solicitation, aiding and abetting of murder under Parts 3-5, Article 33, Part 2, items “a” and “h” of Article 105, complicity in attempted murder under Part 5 of Article 33, Part 3 of Article 30, Part 2, item “h” of Article 105, robbery under Parts 2 and 4 of Article 162, attempted robbery under Part 3 of Article 30, Part 2, items “a” and “d” of Article 161 and illegal circulation of firearms under Article 222 of the RF Penal Code.

The court and investigators have found out that in 2012, Lipovenko and Azarov set up a gang and involved other people in it to commit robberies. In August 2012, the gangsters attacked FishPark, a fishing club, in the village of Nikiforovo, Shchelkovo District. During the robbery they killed two workers of the club and stole 270 thousand rubles.

In October 2012, on the order of former police officer named Mamotko, who wanted to get his wife’s two-room flat by killing her and her father, Lipovenko, Azarov and other gangsters tried to kill Mamotko’s father-in-law, but the man survived. However, they finished the crime in December 2012, when a hitman found by Azarov killed the woman and her father for a reward of 300 thousand rubles. In addition, the investigators revealed that Lipovenko and other gangsters had committed a number of major crimes before they set up the gang.

The investigation was a hard one, firstly because there were a lot of accused and secondly because the circumstances surrounding the crimes were not obvious. About 74 expert examinations had to be run.

The court has sentenced Igor Lipovenko to life in a super maximum correctional facility and a fine of 700 thousand rubles, Oleg Azarov to 21 years in a maximum-security correctional facility and a fine of 500 thousand rubles and 1 year 6 months of restraint of freedom, Sergei Lazarev to 25 years with 12 first in prison, and the rest in a maximum security correctional facility and a fine of 500 thousand rubles and restraint of freedom for 2 years, Artyom Mamotko to 19 years 6 months with 10 first years in prison and the rest in a maximum security correctional facility and restraint of freedom for 1 year9 months, Pavel Stekanov to 15 years in a maximum security correctional facility and restraint of freedom for 1 year 6 months, Alexander Smerdov to 22 years with 12 first years in prison and the rest in a maximum security correctional facility and a fine of 50 thousand rubles and restraint of freedom for 1 year 9 months, Vladimir Balashov to 10 years in a maximum security correctional facility and restrain of freedom for 1 year 6 months, Oleg Koblov to 9 years in a maximum security correctional facility and restrain of freedom for 1 year, Vladislav Frolov to 8 years in a maximum security correctional facility and a fine of 200 thousand rubles and restraint of freedom for 1 year, Vladimir Mitin to 7 years in a maximum security correctional facility and a fine of 200 thousand rubles and restrain of freedom for 1 year, Antonina Kotova to 6 years in a minimum security correctional facility, fine of 100 thousand rubles and restraint of freedom for 1 year.