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A criminal case initiated against a judge of the capital's Arbitration Court

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation with the consent of the Higher Qualification Board of Judges of the Russian Federation initiated criminal proceedings against Elena Kondrat, a judge of the Moscow City Arbitration Court. She is suspected of committing a crime under Part 4 of Article 291.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (mediation in bribery). The criminal investigation was assigned to the officers of the second department for investigation of particularly important cases (concerning crimes against the state and in the sphere of economy) of the Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the city of Moscow.

According to investigators, Elena Kondrat had, by virtue of her position, information that her colleague in the arbitration court was considering an arbitration case. In September 2020 both women were in one of the Moscow restaurants, where Kondrat told her colleague that she had been approached by persons ready to give her money in the amount of 50 thousand US dollars in case of a decision not to bring to subsidiary liability some individuals and legal entities involved in the case. Subsequently, during telephone conversations and personal meetings Kondrat persuaded her colleague in the arbitration court to make the above decision in the arbitration case for a fee, and she herself decided to act as an intermediary in the transfer of funds. However, the colleague contacted law enforcement authorities and the transaction was therefore supervised by the operational services. 

At present a complex of investigative actions is carried out, aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the offense. The investigation is ongoing.