Support The Moscow Times!

St. Pete Authorities Say City Lost $97M in Pipe Scheme

St. Petersburg authorities have dismantled a syndicate that they say cost the city 3 billion rubles ($97 million) by installing some 600 kilometers of substandard heating and water pipes.

Top officials in the city's energy and engineering committee and a state treasury department, as well as the heads of several private firms including installer Petrokom and supplier Rustrubprom, took part in the scheme to defraud the city budget, the Interior Ministry said Thursday.

More than 200 law enforcement officials participated in exposing the scheme and conducting 30 searches, the ministry said in a statement. From the apartment of the head of the city's energy and engineering committee, police seized 18 million rubles, $100,000 and 100,000 euros.

Related articles:

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more