Skip to content

Former mayor of Sochi under investigation for alleged bribery incident

Bribe charges filed against ex-Mayor Alexei Kopaigorodsky from Sochi, with the accusers being regional construction company owners.

New Article:

Former mayor of Sochi under investigation for alleged bribery incident

Former Deputy Mayor of Sochi, Aleksey Kopaygordosky, Accused of Large-Scale Bribery

In a shocking turn of events, the former deputy mayor of Sochi, Aleksey Kopaygordosky, finds himself at the center of a corruption scandal.

The case materials, currently under investigation, suggest that Kopaygordosky, born in 1985 in Krasnodar, Krasnodar Krai, has been engaged in corruption activities for close to two years.

"The investigation has charged Aleksey Sergeyevich Kopaygordosky with crimes under part 4 of Article 160 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (embezzlement) and part 6 of Article 290 (receiving a large bribe, three instances)," the documents state.

His wife, Yanina Kopaygorskaya, has been accused of embezzlement, aiding and abetting bribery, acting as an intermediary in the receipt of two bribes from two major Sochi developers, and coercing two witnesses to give false testimony. The investigation believes that the former deputy mayor and his wife illegally enriched themselves by approximately 332 million rubles over two years.

Unfortunately, details beyond these allegations and the ongoing investigation are scant. The transparency surrounding corruption cases involving mid-level officials in Russia is often limited, and therefore, specifics about Kopaygordosky’s involvement may not be publicly available.

It's worth noting that many Russian officials linked to Olympic projects have faced similar allegations of embezzlement or contractor favoritism in the past. For instance, Akexey Krivoruchko, a regional official, was sentenced to 8.5 years in 2016 for bribery related to Olympics contracts.

But as of late 2023, no indictments, trial updates, or sentencing details are available for Kopaygordosky or his spouse. To stay updated on this developing story, we recommend checking the Russian Investigative Committee’s announcements or TASS for updates post-2023.

As always, independent reporting on corruption cases in Russia can be restricted or censored, so exercise caution when seeking information on this matter.

  1. The investigation is also examining Yanina Kopaygorskaya, the wife of Aleksey Kopaygordosky, who has been charged with embezzlement, aiding and abetting bribery, and participating in the receipt of bribes from major Sochi developers.
  2. This corruption case in Sochi, involving Aleksey Kopaygordosky, is an example of a larger issue often found in Russia's policy-and-legislation and crime-and-justice sectors, where mid-level officials are sometimes involved in embezzlement and misappropriation of funds.
  3. Despite the lack of transparency often observed in these corruption cases in Russia, the case materials suggest that Aleksey Kopaygordosky has been involved in embezzlement activities under part 4 of Article 160 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, along with receiving large bribes as per part 6 of Article 290.
  4. The political repercussions of this case, along with the general-news implications, are likely to be significant, considering the high-profile position Aleksey Kopaygordosky held as the deputy mayor of Sochi, a city known for hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics.
  5. As the 2023 trial updates and sentencing details for Aleksey Kopaygordosky and his spouse remain unavailable, it is worth following the Russian Investigative Committee's announcements or TASS for up-to-date information on this intriguing case of embezzlement and bribery in Sochi, Russia.
Corrupt Ex-Mayor of Sochi, Alexei Kopaigorodsky, Accused of Demanding Two Added Large Bribes from Local Building Commissioners.

Read also:

Latest