Ex-district head's corruption conviction harms orphans

The former head of Krasnoborsky district has been convicted of corruption. Vladimir Rudakov awarded municipal contracts for the construction of a bathhouse, garage, shed, and other structures on his property. The contractor who received the order built apartments for orphaned children, in which floors rotted, roofs leaked, and other violations were found over time.

As reported by the press service of the Krasnoborsky District Court, from 2017 to 2020, the former official carried out a corruption scheme in the purchase of residential premises for orphaned children and children left without parental care.

“For a bribe in the form of property-related services worth 428,885.13 rubles (approximately $4,300 at current rates) (for Rudakov«s family, a bathhouse, an extension to the residential house, a garage, a shed, a summer kitchen, and a wooden pavement were built) the municipal head facilitated the conclusion of municipal contracts with a specific contractor,” the court noted.

The prosecutor«s office of Arkhangelsk Oblast and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug reported that after the agreement, the head concluded a municipal contract with an entrepreneur for the purchase of 7 residential premises that did not meet established requirements, for a total sum of nearly 7 million rubles (approximately $70,000 at current rates), as well as their subsequent acceptance without remarks despite obvious defects.

In the residential premises, gross violations of sanitary norms and construction rules were subsequently identified: ceiling heights, room parameters, door seals, ventilation, window parameters, bathrooms, cooking stoves, and others do not comply with legal requirements.

As added by the court«s press service, some of those in need still live in these apartments, while others have been restored by court decisions to the queue for those in need of specialized rental housing.

Rudakov was found guilty under part «v» of article 290.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (receiving a bribe by the head of a local self-government body on a large scale) and part 3 of article 285 (abuse of official authority resulting in grave consequences).

Rudakov did not admit guilt. He was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in a strict-regime colony, as well as a fine in the amount of twice the bribe sum — 857,770 rubles 26 kopecks (approximately $8,600 at current rates).

After serving the main punishment of imprisonment, he is prohibited for five years from holding positions in state service and local self-government bodies related to the exercise of functions of a representative of authority, organizational-administrative, and administrative-economic powers.

As added by the regional investigative committee, to ensure compensation for the caused damage, the court, at the investigation«s request, imposed an arrest on Rudakov»s vehicle and real estate properties for a total sum of more than 10 million rubles (approximately $100,000 at current rates).

The district court«s verdict has not entered into legal force.

Recall that in November 2022, Vladimir Rudakov was already sentenced to 4 years probation for receiving bribes and misappropriation of budget funds. Rudakov admitted guilt and prematurely terminated his powers as district head.