News

A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee for the Kurgan Region sufficient to convict former deputy social policy governor of the Kurgan Region Marina Kalugina. She was found guilty of 7 crimes under parts 3 and 4 of article 160 of the RF Criminal Code, a crime under part 2 of article 285 and a crime under article 289 (embezzlement by an organized group using their official position and on a very large scale, abuse of office by a person occupying state position in a subject of the Russian Federation and illegal participation in business activity). Her husband Ivan Smolin was found guilty of 7 crimes under part 3 and part 4 of article 160 of the RF Penal Code (embezzlement by an organized group using their official position and on a very large scale).

The court and investigators have found that in the period between October 2007 and February 2011 Kalugina in different time occupied positions of CEO of Children Plus, Association of year-round sanatoriums and health camps (hereinafter Children Plus), manager of Kurgan regional branch of Social Security Foundation and social policy deputy governor of Kurgan Region. Using her official position, she alone and in complicity with her husband Ivan Smolin and an acquaintance Igor Potyomkin occupying top positions at Children Plus, organized stealing of money from that state-owned facility. Foodstuffs for Children Plus were bought at inflated prices through a businessman controlled by the deputy governor and the difference which remained at the businessman’s bank account was used by the accused to their own ends. A part of the goods purchased at the expenses of Children Plus was transported to a facility founded by Kalugina and her husband and which had the similar name OOO Association of year-round sanatoriums and health camps Children Plus (LLC) operating in Nizhny Novgorod.

In addition, from February 2009 to February 2011 Kalugina, being the social policy deputy governor of Kurgan Region, despite the ban established by the law participated in managing a commercial organization OOO Association of year-round sanatoriums and health camps Children Plus, providing advantages and benefits against other participants of the market of resort and sanatorium services. For this patronage the said organization systematically in 2009 – 2010 paid wages to the accused (over 1 million 700 thousand rubles) and paid for her railways and air plane tickets, which she bought for her personal trips (over 500 thousand rubles).

It was also proved that the official together with her husband bought on the money of the state enterprise and stole expensive musical instruments – a saxophone and an electronic grand piano. Over 3.5 years Kalugina for free used SIM cards for her personal needs. The SIM cards had on them over 500 thousand rubles and were replenished from the money of state enterprise Children Plus OSOLKD.

In July 2013, at a request filed by the investigators Kalugina was suspended from her office. Earlier former deputy CEO of Children Plus OSOLKD Igor Potyomkin had been found guilty of embezzlement and received a suspended sentence of 5 years and a fine of 100 thousand rubles.

The court has sentenced Kalugina to 5.5 years in prison to be served in a minimum-security penal colony and a fine of 530 thousand rubles and banned her from occupying any state or municipal positions for 3 years. Smolin received 5 years in prison and a similar fine. In addition the court exacted from them damage of about 7 million rubles by the property that had earlier been arrested at a request filed by the investigators. After the defendants fled the court, they are now wanted.