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Primorye parliament speaker nabbed on suspicion of swindling

The suspect stole oil goods from a commercial enterprise worth at least 38 million roubles in 2008

VLADIVOSTOK, April 29 (Itar-Tass) — Speaker of the Primorye Territory legislative assembly Yevgeny Ovechkin was detained on Sunday on a suspicion of swindling, reported senior assistant to the head of the Primorye branch of the Russian Investigation Committee Avrora Rimskaya.

A criminal case was instituted against Ovechkin under the article of the Russian Criminal Code “large-size swindling” on Saturday, and his workplace was searched. According to the investigation’s version, the suspect stole oil goods from a commercial enterprise worth at least 38 million roubles in 2008 and disposed of them at his own discretion.

“The suspect has been detained; investigation into this criminal case is in progress to establish all circumstances of the swindling: searches were made, documentation withdrawn, and witnesses are being questioned,” Rimskaya noted.

Ovechkin, 49, has been heading the Primorye legislative assembly since December 16, 2011; earlier he was vice-governor of the Primorye Territory between 2004 and 2007, then headed the board of the Far Eastern Industrial Construction Company.

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