Support The Moscow Times!

Regional Russian Anti-Drugs Head Gets 8 1/2 Years for Bribe-Taking

The former head of the Ryazan branch of the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) was found guilty of bribe-taking and sentenced by a local court to 8 1/2 years in prison and a fine of 420 million rubles ($6.4 million), the court said in a statement Wednesday.

Acting via intermediaries, Igor Turovsky promised to unfreeze the accounts of a suspect and soften his detention conditions in exchange for a bribe of 6 million rubles ($91,000), the court found.

Turovsky's lawyer Alexei Pershin told the Kommersant newspaper that they would appeal the sentence. The lawyer added that his client does not have enough assets to pay the fine.

According to Kommersant, it was the suspect himself — Ryazan businessman Alexei Rashchupkin — who filed the complaint against Turovsky. He remains a suspect in a criminal case, the report said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more