Opposition leader Alexei Navalny has released an investigation into State Duma deputy Leonid Slutsky, accusing the lawmaker embroiled in a sexual misconduct scandal of owning luxurious cars and living beyond his means.
Navalny’s investigations into government corruption have featured a slew of top Kremlin officials. His video probe into properties held by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in March 2017, which has been watched millions of times, led to nationwide protests, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
Navalny on Thursday accused Slutsky of owning two Bentleys each worth between 13 and 22 million rubles ($228,000-386,000). Navalny also said Slutsky rents out a large plot of land in central Moscow, which does not show up in his income declaration.
According to Slutsky’s declared yearly income, he makes around 2 million rubles ($35 000), while he wife reportedly earns 80,000 rubles ($1,500).
In addition, Navalny links one of Slutsky’s vehicles to 825 traffic violations since June 2017, averaging over three a day.
“Sexual harassment allegations should be more than enough for a shameful dismissal,” Navalny said. “We would like to present irrefutable justification for his resignation.”
Slutsky, who has been a Duma member since 1999 is currently at the epicenter of a sexual harassment scandal. On Thursday, Slutsky apologized in a Facebook post to “those of you I’ve caused any discomfort, consciously or unconsciously.”
“Trust me,” he wrote. “It was not out of malice.”
Navalny was barred this year from running in presidential elections scheduled for later in March due a prior criminal conviction his supporters say is politically motivated.
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