News

The North Caucasus Federal District Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has finished investigating a criminal case against former head of the special department for investigation of serous and especially serious crimes and road traffic accidents of the Stavropol Territory Main Office of the Russian Interior Ministry Artyom Nazarov. He is charged with crimes under part 4 of article 159 of the RF Penal Code (fraud on an especially large scale using official position) and part 6 of article 290 (bribetaking on an especially large scale by extortion).

According to investigators, in the period between 2011 and 2012, Nazarov, being the head of the special investigation department, learnt from an acquaintance of his – director of a sanatorium in Mineralnye Vody in Caucasian region Eduard Takhunov that an economical criminal case might be opened against the latter. Nazarov, abusing Takhunov’s trust, gave him knowingly false information that the criminal case had been opened and by deceit received from him over 2 million rubles for allegedly assisting in closing the nonexistent case.

In the period between 2012 and 2014, after a criminal case had been really opened against Takhunov and them passed for investigation to Nazarov’s department, the latter threatening by criminal prosecution and custody, demanded from Takhunov a bribe of over 6 million rubles for omission and assisting in closing the case. Later Nazarov increased the bribe up to 12 million rubles, and still later – up to 24 million rubles. Acting this way in 2012-2014 Nazarov received from Takhunov over 2 million rubles part by part. 

In April 2014, while receiving another portion of 200 thousand rubles and replicas of 5 million rubles, Nazarov was caught.

Nazarov fully admitted his guilt and under the load of evidence gave detailed testimony about his actions. In addition, a pretrial cooperation deal was concluded with Nazarov, considering admittance of guilt and cooperation during the investigation of this crime and other acts of corruption, the investigators were not aware of.

The investigators have gathered enough evidence, therefore, the criminal case with the approved indictment has been sent to court to be tried on the merits.