A court has recognized the evidence gathered by The Ural Federal District Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee sufficient to convict Viktor Konteyev and 17 of his accomplices. Depending on the role of each one in the crimes, they were found guilty of bribery, murder, extortion, illegal circulation of firearms and abduction (paragraphs “b” and “c” of part 5 of article 290, part 5 of article 33, paragraphs “b” and “c” of part 5 of article 290, paragraphs “a”, “g” and “h” of part 2 of article 105, paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 3 of article 163, part 3 of article 222, paragraph “a” of part 3 of article 126 of the RF Criminal Code).
The court and investigators found that Konteyev, serving as deputy mayor of Yekaterinburg, since 2000 supervised the whole consumer market in Yekaterinburg, which enabled him not only to control businesses, but know the most profitable ones. In late 2004, the deputy mayor extorted from CEO and member of OOO “Food Depot No 4” (LLC) Tatyana Rusina through a mediator and with complicity of several people including his wife Larisa Konteyeva, a large bribe in the form 51.28% share in the authorized capital of the enterprise with a market cost of 77 million rubles. The share was registered in the name of his authorized representative Igor Ivanchikov, who in 2013 was found guilty of complicity in the said crime and other crimes. This way the official got control over one of the largest enterprises of Yekaterinburg, which owned such large real estates as a recreation center, a shop, a foodstuffs storehouse, and them organized illegal profit. Konteyev unofficially received part of the profit from the said enterprise, considerable part of which was rental for providing storehouses for suppliers of fruits and vegetables. In 2005 and 2006 respectively, he organized murders of his business competitors Andrey Volkov and Valery Khudyakov, who were interfering with deliveries of fruit and vegetables through a customs post in the Kurgan Region, which were them to be sold at “Food Depot No 4”. To commit murders Konteyev employed persons connected with criminal world – yebgeny Glazyrin and Dmitry Kayl, who were members of a so-called group of “blue”, controlling unofficial duties at the Food Depot.
In 2010, Konteyev extorted from Tatyana Rusina and her daughter the rest shares in the authorized capital of OOO “Food Depot No 4”, which were again registered and passed to the same authorized representative. In 2010-2011, to legalize owning, use and disposal of the property acquired in criminal way Konteyev organized fictitious transactions making his wife and relatives owners of all assets of “Food Depot No 4”.
The initial investigation of the case was conducted by the Ural Federal District Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee since March 2010 with the assistance from the officials of the Russian Interior Ministry and Federal Security Service. During the investigation of the case, which amounts to over 110 volumes of files, there were over 150 questionings of witnesses alone and over 50 different forensic tests set up. It should be noted that the investigators of the Committee had to face tremendous resistance and pressure from both Konteyev and media. Different NGOs and commercial organizations, famous people and politicians supported the deputy mayor. Different information defending Konteyev was published in media under the aegis of Kpnteyev’s press-secretary. There were efforts to discredit the work of investigators by making it look like a hired one. As a matter of fact, Konteyev’s wife Larisa Konteyeva during the initial investigation held the same position. However, she still was prosecuted for complicity in the said crimes, but escaped from the investigators and has been internationally wanted since May 2012.
The court has sentenced Konteyev to 18 years to be served in a maximum-security penal colony and a fine of 500 thousand rubles.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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