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Crimea Mayor Detained for Bribe After Week on Job

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Ten days after a new acting mayor was appointed in the Crimean resort town of Koktebel to replace his predecessor, who was found hanged, the replacement official has been detained by police for accepting a bribe, Russian media reported Tuesday.

Sergei Padyukov was detained by police while accepting a bribe of $4,000, the KrymInform local news agency reported Tuesday, citing an unidentified source in law enforcement agencies.

Padyukov was appointed on Aug. 10 to replace Rostislav Storozhik, who was found hanged in the bathroom of a cottage at a local vacation residence in seemingly suspicious circumstances. Storozhik himself was appointed mayor of Koktebel in April.

One of the most popular resort towns in Crimea, Koktebel is well known as a place of refuge for many famous Russian literary figures.

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