Surgut woman detained for role in boy's disappearance

The girl from Surgut, who acted as an intermediary in the «abduction» of a 14-year-old businessman«s son, handed over money stolen from his home to an unknown man near the »Sever« restaurant. This was reported by the Krasnoyarsk Krai prosecutor»s office.

According to the authorities, in January, fraudsters persuaded the boy to steal money from family safes. Via phone and messengers, they convinced the teenager that he was helping his relatives. The fraudsters asked to pass the money to an intermediary, who turned out to be an 18-year-old girl from Surgut.

The fraudsters paid for her trip to Krasnoyarsk, and she arrived here on January 21. The next day, the girl went to the boy«s home and together with him »using a circular saw and a sledgehammer« broke open the safes and stole cash in rubles, dollars, and euros. In total — about 2.5 million rubles (about $25,000 at current rates).

She kept part of the money — 31,000 rubles (about $310) — for herself, and handed the rest to an unknown man near the «Sever» restaurant on Lenin Street.

«If necessary, I can identify him, call…,» the girl stated in court and added that she has no intention of interfering with the investigation (quote from the Investigative Committee video).

The boy«s father, businessman Andrei Kapli, was demanded a ransom for the child — about 30 million rubles (about $300,000). On the evening of January 23, the boy and the girl from Surgut were found in a rented apartment on Krasrab, and they were not under threat.

The girl from Surgut was detained and a criminal case of fraud (Part 4 of Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code) was initiated against her; she faces up to ten years in prison.

In a video from the prosecutor«s office, she says that she herself acted under the influence and threats of the fraudsters:

«They convinced me to act for the good of the family, to avoid financial and legal problems.»

The court sent her to a pre-trial detention center until March 22, as reported simultaneously by the prosecutor«s office, the Investigative Committee, and the joint press service of the Krasnoyarsk Krai courts. The prosecution ruled out house arrest.

«In court, the prosecutor insisted on her detention, as the suspect has no housing in Krasnoyarsk, as well as no identity document, and could flee, destroy evidence, or influence witnesses,» explained the prosecutor«s office press service.

The other participants in the crime are currently being sought.

All about this story is being collected by our colleagues from NGS24.RU in a separate report.