MOSCOW, November 30 (Itar-Tass) — Four persons suspected of embezzlement of three billion rbls from the Petersburg budget have been taken to Moscow. The investigators will insist on their arrest, the Russian Interior Ministry's press service told Itar-Tass on Friday.
As was reported on November 29, the Interior Ministry discovered embezzlement of three billion roubles from the Petersburg budget allocated for construction and repair of heat and water supply systems. A criminal case was opened on charges of fraud. The same day, about ten people were questioned.
Other suspects are left in St. Petersburg. They have given their written undertaking not to leave.
Chairman of the Petersburg government's committee for energy and engineering systems Vladislav Petrov has been questioned in connection with the case as a witness.
Petrov has handed in his resignation, a Petersburg law-enforcement source told Itar-Tass.
The Russian Interior Ministry's main department for economic security and counteraction against corruption together with the North Western Federal District's police department and the Interior Ministry's Investigation Department stopped illegal activities of the organized group suspected of embezzlement of Petersburg budget funds allocated for the city’s heat and water supply systems. The damage to the state is estimated at three billion roubles.
More than 200 operatives, investigators and SOBR policemen were sent from Moscow to St. Petersburg. They conducted 30 searches, during which they found a lot of money and certificates of ownership of apartments in elite districts of St. Petersburg, country houses and land areas. In Petrov's flat alone, 18 million roubles, 100,000 dollars and 100,000 euros were found. The money and documents were seized.
The investigation is continuing.