The Moscow Main Regional Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia finished the investigation into ethnic gang members. 18 people will stand trial, including two former employees of the Moscow Regional Authority for Road Traffic Safety of the Main Directorate of the Ministry for Internal Affairs of Russia and four employees of leasing companies. According to their part, they are accused of creation and operation of a criminal community (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code of Russia) and swindling committed by an organised group (Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of Russia, 17 episodes).
The criminal inquiry was launched based on probe and search operations’ materials of the Department for Undermining of Financial Foundation of Organised Groups and Criminal Communities of the Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Department, Department “K” of the Moscow Regional Main Directorate of the Ministry for Internal Affairs of Russia and Administration “K” of the Economic Security Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia.
According to the investigation, from January 2015 to April 2016, Arslan Abdullaev, Khizar Chapaev, Salman Ismailov, acting as part of the criminal community and being its active members, together with other accomplices (more than 30 people) had been committing swindling of premium cars by deception of leasing companies’ employees from car dealerships in Moscow Region, and later had been selling them to foreign citizens and exporting outside the Russian Federation. The total damage from the activities of the criminal community members amounted to more than 40 million roubles.
The investigation was especially difficult, primarily due to the large number of persons to be brought to justice, as well as the high volume and large number of episodes, secrecy, conspiracy, false documents, shell companies and stumps, which significantly impeded and complicated the identification of criminals. In addition, almost all of the accused come from other regions of Russia and live in Moscow Region without temporary registration, which also made it difficult to establish their whereabouts.
During the investigation, a large number of forensic examinations were carried out; details of calls were examined for more than 100 phone numbers. The investigator did his utmost to ensure that the guilt of the accused was fully proved with the evidence gathered. As a result, the probe consisted of 175 volumes with the indictment approved by the prosecutor and sent to the court to be tried on the merits.
In respect of the three accomplices, who had signed pre-trial immunity agreements, probes were presented separately and convictions were issued on them; they were sentenced to imprisonment. Nine people are currently on the federal wanted list.
Statement of official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia Svetlana Petrenko: https://yadi.sk/i/hh-ZJrCu8v8t3w
Video on the official channel of the Investigative Committee: https://youtu.be/q4urWoR2DsI
Official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia S. Petrenko
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