State prosecutors are seeking to confiscate nearly 100 properties allegedly tied to Russian Supreme Court Judge Viktor Momotov in a major corruption case, state-run media reported on Tuesday.
Momotov, who also chairs Russia’s Council of Judges, was accused of unlawfully running hotels across at least seven Russian regions, including Moscow, while serving in public office.
Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office filed a lawsuit with Moscow’s Ostankinsky District Court demanding the confiscation of 95 properties registered under third parties, including Momotov’s 89-year-old mother. The judge is believed to be the ultimate beneficial owner.
In all, prosecutors reportedly claimed that Momotov and his associates own 44 plots of land and 51 properties that were allegedly used as hotels, bathhouses and hookah lounges.
At least 40 of the properties, valued at more than 9 billion rubles ($107.7 million), were said to operate as the Marton hotel chain in Moscow and other regions.
Momotov was also accused of working with organized criminal groups to allegedly grow his hotel business.
In response to the allegations, Momotov has informed the Council of Judges’ anti-corruption body that he would be ready to provide an explanation once he is formally notified of the lawsuit filed by state prosecutors.
Momotov has served as a Russian Supreme Court judge since 2010 and has held several high-ranking positions within Russia’s judiciary. He was re-elected as chairman of the Council of Judges in December 2022.
It was not immediately clear whether Momotov planned to step down from office during the investigation.
Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said this spring that prosecutors had helped bring almost 2.4 trillion rubles ($29.9 billion) worth of private assets under state control.
Other estimates suggest Russia has nationalized some $50 billion in assets since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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