Vyacheslav Yugay was given more than requested
Nizhny Novgorod District Court sentenced former General Director of Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod Vyacheslav Yugayaccused of bribery and abuse of power, to 13 years in a strict regime colony and a fine of 200 million rubles, a TASS correspondent reports from the courtroom.
According to NewsNN, the Nizhny Novgorod District Court of Nizhny Novgorod credited Yugay with more than 2.5 years in a pre-trial detention center, as well as 10 months under house arrest. As a result, the original sentence – 13 years in a strict regime colony – will be reduced. And significantly, since one day of detention in a pre-trial detention center counts as two. […] After the verdict was passed, Yugay refused to talk to reporters. His lawyer said he would not comment either, as he would first need to “read the verdict in writing.”
Yugay’s apartment in Moscow, a garage box, a Ducati motorcycle, 1.7 million rubles, $10,000 and €10,000 will also be turned into state revenue.
accusations
The former CEO of the company was detained in the summer of 2020. Earlier, the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the region reported that Yugay was accused of committing crimes under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, paragraph “b” part 5 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (8 episodes), part 2 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – 2 episodes (reception by an official through an intermediary of a bribe in the form of money for committing actions in favor of the bribe giver, by a group of persons, with extortion of a bribe on a large and especially large scale), as well as Part 1 of Art. 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (abuse of official powers).
According to investigators, from 2016 to July 2020, several times through his subordinates, he received bribes in the form of money and property from representatives of counterparty firms for unhindered activities and general patronage. In total, the investigation proved 11 episodes of bribery, the total amount exceeded 6 million rubles.
Boxes with equipment were brought to the offices of the Nizhny Novgorod structure of Gazprom and shopping centers, from where they were taken by the defendants in the criminal case. So, director of LLC FSK and FSK-Project Alexander Usanov I bought tablets, a font and TVs, which Konstantin Minich hung in the boss’s waiting room and his corporate apartment. In 2021, businessman Usanov was given a suspended sentence for six years in a colony for transferring a bribe – he signed a cooperation agreement. Vitaly Krasikov, director of the Saratov LLC Gazneftemash, acted in a similar way, having bought tablets and smartphones for 650 thousand rubles. and transferred another 600 thousand rubles. in cash. Representatives of GTS Energo, Tekhmashprom, Uralsibstroyproekt and other companies also testified against the gas workers. The defendants in the case were detained in July 2020, when Konstantin Minikh brought boxes of equipment to Yugay’s reception.
In addition, exceeding his official powers, in February 2020, the accused fictitiously placed his wife in the organization he leads. As a result, she illegally received more than 625 thousand rubles. The illegal actions of Yugay and his accomplices were revealed by the employees of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service for the region and suppressed by the investigators of the Investigative Committee.
The state prosecution had previously requested 12 years in prison for Yugay. He pleaded not guilty to any of the episodes. During the debate, the lawyer noted that his client was not caught red-handed in any of the episodes connected, according to the investigation, with taking bribes.
“When I was taken to the investigator’s office, my wife was there in handcuffs. Around her stood operatives with weapons. After 48 hours in a temporary detention center, she was released, recognizing her right to rehabilitation for illegal criminal prosecution,” said Vyacheslav Yugay. He added that he would slander himself again if his family were in danger.
The defendant spoke in detail about the episodes with bribes. He said that he gave orders to suppliers to purchase gadgets as gifts for the 60th anniversary of Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod to reward especially distinguished employees. According to him, the former general director did not have any personal benefit, and did not know that his subordinates were robbing suppliers. Vyacheslav Yugai is also sure that the extortion of his subordinates could not be official bribes, since, contrary to the opinion of the prosecutor, Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod LLC is not a state-owned company with direct participation of the state in the authorized capital.
Sentences for mediation
In July 2021, the former head of a structural unit of Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod LLC was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months probation with a 3-year probationary period for mediation in bribery. He was also fined 1.2 million rubles. Later, in October 2021, two more former heads of the company’s structural divisions received suspended sentences for mediation. They were sentenced to 4 years of suspended liberty with a probationary period of 3 years, and fines in the amount of 1.8 million rubles.
