The Moscow City Court has sentenced a former anti-corruption official to five years in prison after he was found guilty of bribe-taking, tampering with evidence and taking part in a criminal organization, the RBC news agency reported Wednesday.
The Interior Ministry's Main Directorate for Economic Security and Anti-Corruption has been at the heart of corruption scandals since February, with several of its senior officers having been arrested on corruption charges.
Analysts have said the rampant accusations against Interior Ministry anti-corruption officials could stem from an internal power struggle with the Federal Security Service over the control of economic crime investigations.
Maxim Nazarov, a former senior detective at the directorate who submitted a plea bargain, is the first Interior Ministry anti-corruption official to be sentenced in this series of corruption scandals.
In addition to receiving a prison sentence, Nazarov was fined 250,000 rubles ($4,700) and banned from holding public office for two years, RBC reported.
In June, the directorate's deputy chief, Major-General Boris Kolesnikov, died after reportedly jumping out of a sixth-floor window while being questioned on corruption charges.
The head of the directorate, Lieutenant-General Denis Sugrobov, was arrested earlier this year after being accused of bribery, power abuse and organizing a criminal gang, legal news agency RAPSI reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
