Did he run a protection racket for cafeterias? Ex-Kazan Station chief accused of corruption

On Thursday, January 22, the Meshchansky City Court of Moscow began hearing the case of former Kazan Station head Igor Chernikov. The man is accused of receiving a bribe on an especially large scale (Part 6, Article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), according to criminal case materials reviewed by MSK1.RU.

According to the investigation, Chernikov received money from an entrepreneur who rented commercial space at Kazan Station. The bribe amount was 1.3 million rubles (approximately $17,000 at current rates). In exchange for the money, the former head promised to patronize the business during station rounds and inspections of the sanitary condition of cafes and restaurants. Under the article for receiving a bribe on an especially large scale, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Recall that Igor Chernikov was detained in June 2025. The Dorogomilovsky Court placed him under house arrest. He assumed the position in 2017 and worked for 7 years.

The case of the former Kazan Station head also involved his deputy Maxim Beletsky. He was detained on suspicion of receiving a bribe and mediation in December 2024.

The leadership of Kazan Station has drawn the attention of law enforcement before. In 2017, Chernikov«s predecessor — Sergei Donetsky — was sentenced to two years in a penal colony in a bribery case. According to law enforcement, he took money from four tenants of commercial space. In return, he turned a blind eye to the illegal use of additional square meters.

There are about a dozen dining points at Kazan Station: prices there, as MSK1.RU found out, are heavily inflated. About what is served at Kazan Station and why it is so expensive, read in our investigation. Also, check out our photo report on how the district lives, where three main capital stations are located and where there are almost no trees.