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Serdyukov to be questioned within Oboronservis case

The Investigative Committee Main Military Investigation Department opened eight cases over fraudulent deals with real estate owned by the Oboronservis company

MOSCOW, December 28 (Itar-Tass) — Investigators are to question Russia’s former Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov. He has been summoned in the Oboronservis case. “Serdyukov has got a subpoena,” spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee (SK) Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass.

Anatoly Serdyukov was sacked by President Vladimir Putin last month over a corruption scandal in his ministry.

The SK Main Military Investigation Department opened eight cases over fraudulent deals with real estate owned by the Oboronservis company, controlled by the RF Defence Ministry. They are investigated under the RF Criminal Code articles of fraud, exceeding authority or abuse of office.

According to investigators, the RF Defence Ministry officials were choosing from the property complex of Oboronservis the most liquid and most prestigious facilities, sites and shares. Then, as a rule, they invested enormous budget funds in these real estate objects and the property was sold at significantly reduced prices to commercial structures affiliated with Oboronservis. In addition, many of the facilities were purchased with funds stolen from Oboronservis.

According to preliminary calculations, the damage done in this case is estimated at over 4 billion roubles. However, to establish the exact amount of the damage a financial and economic expert examination will be conducted.

Former head of the Expert Centre for Legal Support Yekaterina Smetanova and her husband, former Director General of an Air Force depot of the Moscow District Maxim Zakutailo are currently in custody within this case. They are charged with fraud. Former head of the Property Relations Department of the RF Defence Ministry Yevgeny Vasilyev is under house arrest.

Earlier, the SK said that “if there are sufficient grounds, former Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov may also be questioned within the criminal case of large-scale embezzlement in Oboronservis structures.”

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