Putin Against Turning Sochi Into Gambling Zone

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that he was against turning Sochi into a gambling resort after the Olympics, because the Black Sea city would then lose its traditional holidaymakers – middle-class families with children. The Kommersant newspaper reported in December that the proposal had been voiced by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as the government sought ways to offset losses expected to be made by businesses that invested in the development of Sochi ahead of the Olympics. “We already have a gambling zone on the border between the Rostov Region and the Krasnodar Territory, and we even allowed them to access the Black Sea coast. In my opinion, it would be impractical to set up another zone in the region, although it would certainly make things better for investors,” Putin said at a meeting with members of the Sochi Olympic public council. The Kremlin banned gambling in Russia in 2009, except for four designated zones across the country. These zones are located in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, the country’s Far East, the southern Krasnodar territory and Siberia’s Altai region.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140211/187401920/Putin-Against-Turning-Sochi-Into-Gambling-Zone.html

Medvedev Proposes Turning Sochi into Gambling

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has proposed turning Sochi, the venue for the Winter Olympics next year, into a gambling zone, according to a newspaper report Thursday. Medvedev made the suggestion at a meeting earlier this week as the government seeks ways to offset the losses expected to be made by investors who have put large amounts of money into the development of Sochi ahead of the Olympics, Kommersant newspaper reported. With a price tag of over $50 billion, the Sochi games are the most expensive Olympics of all time. Businessmen and state-owned companies have reportedly sought state assistance to pay back loans taken out to pay for projects they are backing in Sochi. The Kremlin banned gambling in Russia in 2009, except for four designated zones across the country. These zones include the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, the country’s Far East, the southern Krasnodar Territory and Siberia’s Altai region. A committee to look at Medvedev’s proposal to add Sochi to this list of gambling zones has been set up under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Kommersant reported.

http://en.ria.ru/sochi2014/20131219/185717199/Medvedev-Proposes-Turning-Sochi-into-Gambling-Zone--Report.html

Police Close Down Moscow University Casino

Moscow police have shut down an illegal casino operating on the premises of a state university, the Interior Ministry reported on Monday. The police confiscated four card tables, three roulette tables, 70 slot machines using counterfeit Novomatik software, and other gambling paraphernalia from the site. The casino, located at Moscow State University of Instrument Engineering and Informatics, was seeing a daily income of 3 to 5 million rubles ($96,700-$161,000), the police said. Since July 2009, gambling in Russia has only been allowed in four specially allotted zones, driving much of the business underground into a thriving black market.

http://en.ria.ru/crime/20130415/180644107/Police-Close-Down-Moscow-University-Casino.html

Fugitive Prosecutor Extradited From Poland to Russia

Poland has extradited to Russia a former Moscow Region Deputy Prosecutor, Alexander Ignatenko, who was wanted for involvement in illegal casino rackets , the Russian Interior Ministry said on Thursday. “The plane… carrying former deputy prosecutor of the Moscow Region Ignatenko has just landed at Moscow’s Sheremetevo-2 airport,” the ministry said. Ignatenko was placed on the international wanted list after police uncovered a massive gambling operation in spring 2011. Poland's Internal Security Agency detained Ignatenko at the popular Polish ski resort of Zakopane in January 2012. He spent 11 months in custody before his extradition. Igantenko faces up to 12 years in prison in Russia if convicted. According to law enforcement authorities, high-ranking officials in the Russian Prosecutor's Office and the Interior Ministry were involved in the casino businesses, which generated $5 to $10 million in revenue monthly. Gambling has been illegal in Russia - except in four designated zones - since 2009, but still flourishes as a huge undercover business.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130207/179280624.html

Fugitive Russian Prosecutors Wanted

A Moscow court sanctioned the arrest of Dmitry Urumov, until recently a senior prosecution officer in the Moscow Region. Urumov, together with other Moscow Region prosecutors, is charged with bribery and protection of illegal gambling business. Urumov was taken into custody. Also arrested was former Chief Prosecutor of Noginsk Vladimir Glebov. Two of their colleagues, including former Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Moscow Region Alexander Ignatenko, are now wanted. According to some reports, the fugitive prosecutors have fled to Spain.

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1636667
http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=335720 (video)

Moscow Region Chief Prosecutor Dismissed over Corruption Charges

Alexander Mokhov, Chief Prosecutor for the Moscow Region, and his deputy, Alexander Ignatenko, were dismissed following accusations that prosecutors were protecting the activities of illegal casinos in the region. Mokhov was transferred to another office; Ignatenko was fired for “oath-breaking.” Criminal proceedings against regional prosecution officers are expected to be instituted. http://www.kommersant.ru/Doc/1621552 http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=331425 (video)

Russian General Prosecutor’s Son Accused of Covering Illegal Casinos

According to a witness statement read out in a Serpukhov court, Artem Chaika, the son of Russia’s General prosecutor, Yuri Chaika, was involved in protecting the business of illegal casinos in the Moscow Region. Earlier, Russia’s Investigation Committee instituted criminal proceedings against the illegal casino owner and launched a probe into the activities of the regional police and prosecutors who allegedly protected the casinos. However, the Prosecutor's Office closed the criminal proceedings instituted by the Investigation Committee; the Serpukhov court found that the proceedings were closed illegally. Meanwhile, a General Prosecutor Office’s spokesperson asserted that the witness statements concerning Artem Chaika constituted “ravings” and declined further comment. http://www.kommersant.ru/Doc/1610992 http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=328238 (video)

Prosecutors Invoke Privilege against Self-Incrimination

Russia’s Investigation Committee, which is investigating illegal casinos in the Moscow Region, as well as the local police and prosecutors who had jurisdiction over the illegal casinos, called for interrogations of the officers of the Moscow Region Prosecutor's Office, whose vacations abroad have been paid for by the casino ring owner. The Deputy Prosecutor of the Moscow Region failed to appear for questioning, and the other prosecutors refused to testify, invoking the constitutional privilege against self-incrimination. Meanwhile, the Moscow Region Court denied requests by regional prosecutors to release the alleged casino owner, Ivan Nazarov, on bail.

http://kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1594123

FSB: Police and Prosecutors Covered Illegal Casinos

According to a statement from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the Moscow Regional prosecutor's office and the police department have been involved in a multi-million dollar illegal gambling business.  A number of suspects were arrested, including the gambling business owners, policemen and prosecutors. The FSB said, in particular, that the organizers of the gambling business paid for vacations abroad for the prosecutor's office staff and police. The FSB added that illegal gambling areas were located in 15 cities in the Moscow Region and that some 1,200 slot machines were seized during its recent search. Since 2009, gambling has been illegal in Russia except in four specially designated areas.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20110214/162598005.html
http://www.newstube.ru/media/prokuror-moskovskoj-oblasti-pogorel-na-kazino

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