News

Gleb Grozovsky found guilty of sex crimes

A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the Saint Petersburg Directorate of the Investigative Committee as sufficient to convict Gleb Grozovsky. He was found guilty of sexual abuse under Part 4, item “b” of Article 132 of the RF Criminal Code.

Working painstakingly and efficiently, investigators found out that in summer 2009, Grozovsky cynically sexually abused a young girl at an Orthodox children’s camp located in Leningrad Region.

In June 2013, sexually abused two girls aged 12 and 9 on an Orthodox children’s camp in Greece.

In autumn of 2013, priest Grozovsky was put at an international wanted list and a court ruled in absentia to place him in custody pending trial.

On 21 September 2014, the man was detained by police in Israel based on an extradition request and placed in custody. He was extradited to Russia on 7 September 2016.

Trying to avoid punishment, Grozovsky and his family and friends used Russian and Israeli mass media to run a campaign accusing investigators of fabricating the case against him, pressing witnesses and the young victims. He claimed without any proof that his prosecution was connected with political motives, his public and religious activity, which was not proved during either the investigation or in court.

The evidence gathered by the investigators, as well as statements made by the victims and witnesses and confirmed during the trial, bade a basis for the verdict. Grozovsky was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum-security facility.