Former lawmaker’s aide sentenced to nine years for fraud in Chita

Chita’s Central District Court sentenced a former State Duma member’s aide to nine years in a general-regime penal colony and fined him 1.5 million rubles for fraud, the regional Federal Security Service said.

The court convicted him of especially large-scale fraud under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code. The verdict has not yet entered into force.

According to the agency, the man sought 1.5 million rubles for purported help avoiding service in the combat zone, claiming connections with officials and military commanders. He had no real influence over their decisions and kept the money he received.

The criminal case was opened on evidence gathered by the regional Federal Security Service. The final prison term resulted from partially combining sentences for the offenses.