The Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation against Deputy Governor of Novgorod Region Viktor Nechayev, Ulyana Zhuravskaya and others. They are suspected of a crime under part 3 of article 30, Part 4 of article 159 of the RF Penal Code (attempted fraud).
According to investigators, Nechayev offered Head of Shimsk District, Novgorod Region Mikhail Nekipelov, who is under investigation in the Investigative Committee for a crime under article 201 (abuse of power) to arrange for the investigation to be dropped for 5.5 million rubles. However, Nechayev did not have any opportunity to affect the investigation in any way, but just misled him intending to take the money. This is why the charge is fraud.
Nechayev was detained on 10 August in Moscow by officials of the internal security office of the Federal Security Service while trying to get part of the stipulated sum of 47 thousand US dollars (about 3 million rubles). Nechayev tried to take off in his car and damaged the FSS car. In addition, Ulyana Zhuravskaya was detained in Novgorod. On one of these days the investigators are going to request a court to remand Nechayev and Zhuravskaya in custody pending trial. The investigation is ongoing.
The so called handlers are not new in Russia, but in our practice, these are swindlers who do not take positions or are not high-ranking officials. But to deceive people while occupying such a high position – this is something new. None the less, the point of the crime and which is more important the punishment do not depend on the level or ranks of the swindler. So I would like to warn and remind once more: whoever promises you to handle a matter with the Investigative Committee in an illegal way, do not be misled and treat it at the best as a bad joke and report it to the Investigative Committee, as Nekipelov did.
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