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In Moscow Region, members of organized criminal community found guilty of 300 million rubles fraud with state real estate property

The evidence collected by the Moscow Regional Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia was found by court to be sufficient to sentence 6 members of an organized criminal community that operated in Chekhovsky District. They were found guilty of organizing of and taking part in a criminal community (Parts 1, 2, 3 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code of Russia) and of six episodes of fraud (Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of Russia) and legalization (Paragraphs A and B of Part 4 of Article 174.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia).

The investigation and the court established that, from October 2011 to August 2016, 13 members of the criminal community including real estate agents, entrepreneurs, Cadastre Chamber officers, and other persons had illegally acquired ownership rights for nine plots of land and two buildings located in different settlements of Chekhovsky Municipal District. The total cost of the property acquired through the illegal activities had exceeded 130 million rubles. The total market cost of the property (land and buildings) acquired and legalized by the members of the criminal community as a result of their illegal activities had reached at least 60 million rubles, which is recognized as a large-scale offence.

The investigation of this criminal case was particularly difficult, primarily due to the large number of accused, as well as in connection with the use of technical means of conspiracy at the time of committing of the offences. The investigation carried out voluminous work for collection and consolidation of evidence: about 140 witnesses were questioned, over 60 searches and seizures were carried out. At 15 examinations, including evaluative, handwriting, land surveying, including for the purpose of restoring the boundaries of the land plot issued to the USSR Ministry of Defense in the 60x, were carried out. The property of the accused was arrested for security purposes. Operational support was provided by officers of the Federal Security Service of Russia and Moscow Regional Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

The court has already issued convictions into 6 persons that had signed immunity agreements at the initial stage of the investigation. One of the accused was put on the international wanted list.

The court sentenced 6 members of the organized criminal community to 17-15 years of imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony and 9-7 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.