Support The Moscow Times!

Top Russian Investigator Jailed in Explosive Mafia Bribe Case

Alexander Lamonov (Sergei Kiselyov / Moskva News Agency)

A top crime-fighting official in Moscow has been sentenced to five years in jail for accepting a bribe from one of Russia’s most notorious mafia bosses in a case that has brought down several senior investigators.

Alexander Lamonov, the deputy head of security at Moscow’s branch of the Investigative Committee, was arrested alongside three of his superiors implicated in corruption in 2016. His boss was sentenced to 13 years this spring for receiving a $500,000 bribe from a crime lord who sought to soften the sentences of gang members involved in a Moscow restaurant shootout.

The Moscow City Court sentenced Lamonov to five years in a maximum-security prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $500,000, the RBC business portal reported Thursday.

Lamonov’s lawyer Olga Lukmanova said her client plans to appeal the sentence and seeks a lower fine, citing the court’s conclusion that “the ex-colonel had only accepted [a bribe worth] $25,000.”

Alexander Drymanov, the retired head of Moscow’s Investigative Committee who was initially named as a witness in the bribery case, was arrested on the same charges last week. His arrest has reportedly hit the standing of the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, with whom Drymanov is rumored to have close ties.

An unnamed source in the Investigative Committee told RBC that Drymanov’s arrest “can’t be called a surprise for Bastrykin, but there was no coordination with him.”

Others in the committee maintain that Bastrykin remains in control.

“Of course, the positions of Bastrykin and the committee are weakened, but Alexander Ivanovich personally takes part in all meetings and manages high-profile cases,” another source said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss 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