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Arrested Russia's Komi Republic administration had interest in many local enterprises

The interests of arrested governor of Russia's oil-rich Komi region, Vyacheslav Gaizer’s team spread towards many lucrative enterprises and sectors, in the sphere of energy and public utilities

SYKTYVKAR, September 21. /TASS/. Suspects in the criminal case against the arrested governor of Russia's oil-rich Komi region, Vyacheslav Gaizer, had interest in almost all the local profitable enterprises, namely in the energy and public utilities sector, a source in the region’s law enforcement agencies said on Monday.

"The interests of Gaizer’s team spread towards many lucrative enterprises and sectors, in the sphere of energy and public utilities. The Gaizer case was compiled over several years from materials of many criminal cases into corruption opened against senior officials and heads of municipalities," the source said.

The head of the republic, located to the west of the Ural mountains, and many suspects in the case are particularly accused of illegal expropriation of state shares of a poultry farm and two hotels.

Investigators also say the fraudulent schemes also involve the local dairy plant, baked goods factory, timber producer and a concrete products plant, which were overseen by arrested businessman Valery Veselov.

The criminal case against 19 people, including the head of Komi and his deputy, was launched on September 18 into setting up a criminal group and fraud. The charges against the suspects have been brought, 15 of them have been arrested and businessman Yuri Bondarenko has been placed under house arrest.

An investigation is ongoing to reveal all the episodes of the criminal activity and to detain all the members of the criminal group.

Gaizer, 48, has been the head of the Komi Republic since 2010. He is a member of the supreme council of the ruling United Russia party.