Education at the Perm University was conducted within the framework of the OPS

In Perm, the consideration of a criminal case against the ex-rector of the Perm State Humanitarian and Pedagogical University (PSGPU) Andrey Kolesnikov has begun. According to the investigation, Andrei Kolesnikov created a criminal group, which included the head of the department Konstantin Bezukladnikov and teacher Boris Kruse. With the complicity of businessman Anzhelika Otradnova, according to the materials of the case, they embezzled more than 25 million rubles, which the university received for services in training specialists in the framework of international baccalaureate programs. The funds were cashed out through fictitious contracts with Angelica Otradnova’s firm. Boris Kruse testified about this during the investigation. According to Kommersant-Prikamye, the defendants categorically disagree with the position of the investigation. Scientists claim that they did not receive any money, and Boris Kruse slandered them.

The Sverdlovsk District Court is considering a criminal case against Andrey Kolesnikov, former rector of the Perm Humanities and Pedagogical University, Konstantin Bezukladnikov, head of the foreign language teaching methodology department, and Anzhelika Otradnova, co-owner of several Perm companies. As follows from the information from the website of the court, Andrey Kolesnikov is accused of two episodes of illegal circulation of funds (part 1 of article 187 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and embezzlement in a group of persons (part 4 of article 160 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Konstantin Bezukladnikov is charged with fraud on an especially large scale, as well as embezzlement, and Anzhelika Otradnova with complicity in the commission of these crimes.

Andrei Kolesnikov began working at the university as an assistant at the Department of Theoretical Physics, and in 2001 he became the rector of the university. He held this position for 15 years, and then led the university as an acting rector, where he worked until June 2019. In 2016–2021, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Perm Territory.

The head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of the university, Boris Kruse, testified against the current defendants.

Boris Kruse was detained in the summer of 2021 as part of a criminal investigation into fraud. He pleaded guilty and entered into a pre-trial agreement, under which he told the investigators of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Perm Territory about other episodes of illegal activity. From his testimony, the investigation concluded that the embezzlement of university funds took place from 2015 to 2019 and was associated with the activities of the so-called provider center. This structural subdivision appeared in PSGPU after the university entered into an agreement with the International Baccalaureate Organization (Switzerland) and got the opportunity to provide educational services indefinitely under the programs of this organization. Graduates of these programs received the right to work in schools in other countries. The provider center, which was actually engaged in educational services, was headed by Konstantin Bezukladnikov, and Boris Kruse worked there as a teacher.

According to the testimony of Boris Kruse, part of the episodes of theft were committed as part of a criminal group. It was allegedly created by Andrey Kolesnikov in order to “master” the money coming to PSGPU as payment for the services of the provider center. Realizing that this could not be done without the workers of the center, he attracted Konstantin Bezukladnikov and Boris Kruse there. The latter turned to Anzhelika Otradnova, who owned several legal entities in Perm. The teacher offered to conclude with one of them fictitious contracts with PSGPU for the provision of services for the needs of the center. In particular, the contracts concerned the preprint preparation of educational materials for various courses, external examination of materials prepared by their students, as well as organizational support for advanced training courses.

The entrepreneur agreed to draw up such contracts for her Small Business Support Center LLC. In fact, the work provided for in them, according to the investigation, was either carried out by the employees of the provider center themselves, or was not performed at all.

Anzhelika Otradnova transferred the funds received to Boris Kruse, and left 5-10% for herself as a commission. In total, more than 25.9 million rubles were allegedly appropriated under this scheme.

Interestingly, according to investigators, Konstantin Bezukladnikov and Boris Kruse continued to withdraw money after Andrey Kolesnikov left office in 2019. At the same time, they deceived and abused the trust of the already new rector, Konstantin Yegorov. In September last year, Boris Kruse was sentenced to four years of probation. Also, taking into account partial compensation for damage, more than 22.8 million rubles were recovered from him in favor of PSGPU.

Judging by the website of the Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Konstantin Bezukladnikov and Boris Kruse continue to work at this university. Both continue to hold the positions of heads of departments. The press service of PSGU confirmed that the information on the website is up to date. The university declined to comment further on the case.

It was not possible to contact Andrey Kolesnikov and Konstantin Bezukladnikov by known numbers.

According to sources familiar with their position, scientists say that they did not receive any money from Boris Kruse, and the latter slandered them, yielding to pressure from the security forces.

As one of the interlocutors of Kommersant-Prikamye notes, the university did indeed work with Anzhelika Otradnova’s company, but the cashed out money was spent on ensuring the activities of the provider center, for example, on paying for the labor of foreigners who were involved in its work. “It was very difficult for them to pay otherwise, so it happened that the money was transferred in cash,” he says, “I think this scheme is still working.”

In his opinion, in this situation it is impossible to talk about violations, and at most – about violations of the accounting rules for making payments. “The center itself functioned efficiently and allowed the university to earn more than 100 million rubles,” the source says. “There is no evidence of the transfer of cash to the defendants.”