Journalist and General Director of “Media Company Chernozemye” Denis Shaikin found guilty of committing extortion on a large scale from the already former general director of the Fresh Bread Project Yevgeny Levant.
He was sentenced to two years in prison in a penal colony with detention in the courtroom and subsequent compensation for non-pecuniary damage to the victim in the amount of one hundred thousand rubles.
According to investigators, the journalist demanded 400,000 rubles from Levant for the non-publication of a critical article that spoke about the raider seizure of the competing Kurskkhleb enterprise. Allegedly, it was initiated by the deputy of the Kursk Regional Duma and the former head of the Fresh Bread project Maxim Mamzurin.
Shaikin claimed that he did not talk about buying out the publication and did not touch the envelope with money that was thrown to him, however, published on social networks and local telegram channels video his words are refuted.
In court, Maxim Mamzurin said that he knew about the article by Denis Shaikin and the fact of extortion in the amount of 500 thousand rubles according to Evgeny Levant. He advised him to contact law enforcement agencies, but he did not declare anywhere. Mamzurin did not know that Levant negotiated with Shaikin on his behalf and transferred money. The controversial article contained information about Mamzurin as the initiator of the raider seizure of Kurskkhleb, but he described this information as untrue.
Abireg.ru, 04/04/2022, “General Director of the Kursk bakery Evgeny Levant left his post”: Yevgeny Levant, the victim in a criminal case of extortion against the former publisher of the socio-political newspaper MK Chernozemye (the owner of the brand is the editorial office of Moskovsky Komsomolets) and journalist Denis Shaikin, ceased to be the general director of Project Fresh Bread JSC. This follows from the Kartoteka.ru data.
He led the bakery twice: from March 18 to October 8, 2019 and from December 2, 2019 to February 10, 2022. Evgeny Sorokin is now the General Director of the Fresh Bread Project JSC. He also heads ZAO Kursk Khlebozavod (two legal entities are registered at the same address: Kursk, 50 Let Oktyabrya Street). According to unverified information, Evgeny Levant may be outside of Russia. — Inset K.ru
@sekundamedia, 22.09.2020 22:42: Shaikin has a luxurious track record. It contains subordinates thrown for money, a case of drunk driving, which was closed after the statute of limitations, a search by bailiffs for numerous debts, and a criminal offense for libel. […] In 2015, Shaikin, who then owns the Moskovsky Komsomolets franchise, rose well on articles in defense of Kurskkhleb owner Nikolai Lopatin. Through MK, Lopatin tried to present in the media in a negative light the criminal case initiated against Kurskkhleb on tax evasion. There were a number of publications and interviews on TV. Five years have passed, and the risk of being held accountable to shareholders for their actions in the management of the enterprise again dawned on the horizon. And they raised more and more questions.
Then Lopatin decided that again it was necessary to raise a fuss in the media. But he missed the platform a little. The article was published in AIF Chernozemye, where the author went over the owner of a 44% stake in Kurskkhleb Maxim Mamzurin, his lawyer Alexander Yegorov and lawyer Vyacheslav Efimenko.
But the shot was blank. AiF has modest circulation, and for some reason they were embarrassed to put the article on the site. As a result, almost no one noticed her. Then, out of old memory, Lopatin went to Denis Shaikin. Forgetting that a lot has changed in 5 years, and Denis, with all his adventures and going through the courts, lost his former influence and connections, besides, he was convicted of slander. Now, once every few months, he publishes the newspaper “Kurskaya Nedelya” in printed format, which he himself delivers. […] It was only after the arrest that Denis cranked out his signature number, which had already saved him more than once. And he portrayed either an attack, or a seizure. Arriving doctors did not find anything from the journalist, but decided to take him for examination. On the way to the ambulance, the patient escaped …. – Sidebar K.ru
Shaikin for slander in the “MK Chernozemye” was sentenced to compulsory work
The original of this material
© kursk-izvestia.ru03/15/2019, In Kursk, a verdict was passed in a criminal case against the ex-publisher of “MK Chernozemye” Shaikin
Maxim Zimovsky
For the first time in the Kursk region, a court sentenced a journalist to compulsory labor for slander. Denis Shaikin accused the deputy Nikolai Poltoratsky of the crime of rehabilitating Nazism.
This story started in 2017. Then in Kursk there were judicial litigation for unpaid wages in “MK Chernozemye”, which at that time was led by Denis Shaikin. Vkurske.com, kursktv.ru and Kursk Izvestia wrote on this topic.
In the comments, the journalists of MK Chernozemye stated that they work for free, while the publisher leads a beautiful life at their expense.
At a time when the publication’s employees were trying to get a salary through the court, Denis Shaikin posted photos from expensive restaurants and distant countries on social networks. In the picture next to the respectable Porsche and Audi cars, the publisher did not hesitate to write: “Mine.”
Lampoon and political denunciation
On August 10 and 14, 2017, materials about the litigation with comments from all parties were published on the KI website. In response, on August 15, Shaikin posted on chr.mk.ru the publication “What connects the “European” Nikolai Poltoratsky with Mein Kampf?”. On August 16, an article is published in the newspaper “MK Chernozemye”.
Shaikin demands that Kursk Izvestia be closed, accuses deputy Nikolai Poltoratsky of the crime of rehabilitating Nazism, and claims that he came up with the name of the modern newspaper Kursk Izvestia.
The main argument of the journalist is that during the occupation in Kursk, the Germans published the newspaper Kursk News Kursker Nachrichten.
Since the delirium of Denis Shaikin’s inflamed fantasy was published in the media, Kurskiye Izvestia turned to the press complaints board, and deputy Nikolai Poltoratsky to the police.
During the occupation period, the newspaper “Voice of the People” was published on the territory of the Kursk region. Another edition with the same title is still in production. But Shaikin ignored this fact.
In October 2017, at the request of the editors of Kurskiye Izvestia, Shaikin’s article in Moscow took apart at a meeting of the Public Collegium for Press Complaints. The analysis of the publication of the ex-publisher “MK Chernozemye” was carried out by expert researcher Svetlana Shaikhitdinova, head of the Department of Journalism of the Higher School of Journalism and Media Communications of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Professor, Doctor of Philosophy. n.; k. philol. n. majoring in journalism.
According to Svetlana Kaimovna, the newspaper “Kurskiye Izvestiya” is, judging by the publication, a passing object. The main target for Shaikin is Nikolai Poltoratsky.
– Publication “What connects the “European” Nikolai Poltoratsky with Mein Kampf?” is a libel on the editors of the newspaper “Kurskiye Izvestia” and personally on Nikolai Poltoratsky. The professional ethics of a journalist is violated by the very fact of the appearance of such a text on a public platform, as well as by the presence of an arsenal of manipulative techniques used by Mr. Shaikin to settle accounts with his “brothers in the pen,” Professor Shaikhitdinova believes.
Members of the Chamber of Media Audience Yuri Kazakov (chairman), Tatyana Andreeva, Henry Reznik, Ilya Shablinsky and members of the Chamber of Media Community Olga Kravtsova, Boris Reznik and Viktor Yukechev took part in the board meeting.
The members of the board agreed with the position of the expert and made a decision. Verdict: Shaikin’s article is not journalistic material. This is a libel and a political denunciation with a quasi-historical overtone.
Note from the lunatic asylum
According to the statement of the deputy Nikolai Poltoratsky, the police opened a criminal case of defamation against Denis Shaikin. A linguistic examination was carried out, which confirmed that the publication contained false statements regarding Nikolai Poltoratsky.
It was important for the investigation to establish whether the ex-publisher was mentally healthy at the time of writing the article, whether he appreciated his actions. This is an important point, because earlier Denis Shaikin himself wrote that he turned to doctors in the village of Iskra. About how he ended up in a psychiatric hospital, it is worth telling separately.
Recall that recently Shaikin was tried in another criminal case. He was accused under Art. 264 part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (driving a vehicle while intoxicated by a person subjected to administrative punishment).
Shortly before the expiration of the statute of limitations in the criminal case, Shaikin went to a psychiatric hospital and from there posted a “note from a lunatic asylum” on the MK Chernozemye website:
“The day of the Russian press was met by me in a quiet and calm atmosphere of a psychiatric hospital, with comfort and silence that compares favorably with the madhouse of the editorial office,” the ex-editor-in-chief publicly said.
The journalist was hiding there from the law, though he was not himself or was working on a new libel, now one can only guess. However, justice was never done.
To check whether everything is in order with Denis Shaikin’s head, the police sent him for a psychiatric examination. Experts conducted tests and gave their conclusion: “Can be aware of the actual nature and social danger of their actions and manage them.”
The journalist could have been sentenced for libel on February 12. But the defendant did not answer calls from the court and from the lawyer. A few minutes before the meeting, a young man ran into the hall, who said that he was from Denis Alexandrovich: “He can’t get out of bed. Help will be provided.”
History repeated itself on February 18. The young man said that the patient had either a heart attack or a stroke.
The judge was forced to involve the bailiffs, who were to deliver the defendant to the hearing on February 27.
However, the UFSSP officers could not find Shaikin, and he again did not appear in court. History repeated itself on March 7, with the only difference that the defendant sent an SMS to the lawyer and promised to bring medical certificates. The bailiffs again went to the journalist’s home and informed his family that in the event of another failure to appear, Shaikin would be put on the federal wanted list. It worked.
Bailiffs brought to court
On March 13, the bailiffs found the ex-publisher of MK Chernozemye near the court building. They brought Denis Shaikin to the meeting room.
The defendant showed the judge a scan of the medical certificate. Allegedly, he was treated in Moscow, so he could not get to the meetings. The paper did not indicate the date and issue number.
Judge: – And in connection with what did you go to the hospital in Moscow? You have a written undertaking not to leave. It looks like you violated it. Did you notify anyone?
D.Sh.: — No.
Judge: – This certificate is a scan, and we cannot attach it.
The public prosecutor was the first to speak. The state prosecutor Maxim Goncharov said that he considers Denis Shaikin’s guilt in spreading slander in the media against Nikolai Poltoratsky proved and asked to sentence Shaikin to 160 hours of compulsory labor.
– I ask the court to recognize Shaykin Denis Alexandrovich guilty of committing a crime under Part 2 of Art. 128, note 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation,” the state prosecutor noted.
As a mitigating circumstance, the prosecutor asked to take into account the mental problems of the defendant.
It is worth noting that the article that Shaikin was charged with also provides for the payment of a fine. However, at the trial it was noted that it would be problematic to recover money from the defendant.
At the trial, Shaikin said that he had no property and did not even know who owns the apartment in which he lives. According to the press service of the UFSSP and open data from the department’s website, Shaikin owes 272,000 rubles. Recently bailiffs even put Denis Shaikin on the wanted list. A photo of the ex-publisher “MK Chernozemye” appeared on the screens in the Kursk minibuses. Only after this measure did the journalist appear before the bailiff. Shaikin’s Porsche Cayenne is still on the wanted list.
On March 15, Judge Tatyana Bystrova of Investigation Department No. 9 of the SR of the Central Organ of Kursk passed a sentence on a journalist for accusing Nikolai Poltoratsky of the crime of rehabilitating Nazism. As requested by the prosecutor, she took into account the mental disorder of Denis Shaikin, this became a mitigating circumstance. The defendant pleaded not guilty. The court sentenced the former publisher of MK Chernozemye to 160 hours of compulsory work. As part of the civil suit, the convict must pay a fine of 50 thousand rubles. Denis Shaikin has 10 days to appeal. This is the first sentence in the Kursk region, when a journalist was sentenced to compulsory work for slander.
Interesting Facts
1. Since 2016, the publication “MK Chernozemye” under the leadership of Denis Shaikin owed hundreds of thousands of rubles to the printing house. In 2018, due to non-payment, several issues of the newspaper were not published, and Moskovsky Komsomolets found a new founder and terminated the contract with Denis Shaikny.
2. After leaving the Chernozemye MK, Denis Shaikin tried to publish the Kurskaya Nedelya newspaper in small print runs. But in December, by decision of the founder, the activity of the publication was suspended. According to unofficial information, even in the summer the Investigative Committee was interested in the newspaper.
3. According to 46tv.ru, Shaikin’s allegations of misconduct and infliction of bodily harm on him by traffic police officers in 2016 turned out to be unfounded. The Investigative Committee established that the policemen legitimately tried to put the man into the official car. But Denis Shaikin made a federal scandal. He cut his hands on the visor, stained his face with blood. Then he went to the hospital, from where he gave an interview that he was beaten by law enforcement officers.
4. The heroes of the articles, which Denis Shaikin’s media wrote about, won the courts for publications discrediting them. Pavel Glotov sued 50 thousand rubles, Alexander Yegupov – 100 thousand rubles.
5. Elena Godlevskaya from the city of Orel, laureate of the international journalistic competition “Contrary” to them. Larisa Yudina. She worked as a correspondent for MK Chernozemye at a time when Denis Shaikin was in charge of the newspaper. The publisher did not pay her from August 2017 to June 2018. According to a court decision, Media Company Chernozemye LLC, whose general director is Shaikin, must give the journalist 270 thousand rubles. Today, Elena received only 2/3 of this amount through bailiffs.
There is an opinion
The owner of the “Kursk Antonovka” and the memorial sign of the Kursk region “For Labor and Fatherland” journalist Viktor Chemodurov:
– Unfortunately, all this was worth the nerves and the everlasting feeling of dirt … On February 3, 2014, I was accepted into the staff of “MK Chernozemye” by my own correspondent. He conducted all negotiations with Denis Shaikin, but concluded an employment contract with Center Media LLC, the owner of the newspaper at that time. Already the second salary was paid to me with a long delay, and then I did not receive either the base salary or the fee for MK Chernozemye for more than nine months. In the end, through the Pension Fund, I found out that, it turns out, since May 30 I was fired allegedly on my own “initiative”, which I never knew about. At the meeting, I explained to Shaikin that he had two options to choose from: either let him correct the situation himself, or law enforcement officers would come to the editorial office to seize documents. Only after my appeal to the supervisory authorities did this “office” return 56 thousand rubles of wage arrears for 2014 to me. And then, by decision of the Leninsky District Court of the city of Kursk, the average salary for the time of forced absenteeism in 2015 was paid, plus compensation for non-pecuniary damage and legal costs – a total of another 135 thousand rubles. I had to snatch this money through bailiffs.
General Director of IA Sekunda Nadezhda Surgina:
– I worked at MK Chernozemye as the editor-in-chief and was forced to leave the publication when it became obvious that Shaikin was not going to pay the employees. All we got was 9 thousand rubles a month, another 15 thousand rubles he gave out for a couple of months from above, and then he began to feed us with promises and refer to difficult times. People endured for months, until it became obvious that Denis did not plan to pay this money. In court, he argued that 9 thousand rubles is the real salary of the editor-in-chief and other journalists.
Maria Yakovleva, editor-in-chief of the Kursktv.ru newspaper:
– When I once again asked Shaikin about the salary, I heard indifferent: “There is no money.” This was probably the last straw when your child is seriously ill, you worry about him, and you also have to demand your legitimate wages.
Tatyana Grigorieva, a journalist from Belgorod:
– I collaborated with Shaikin’s publications “MK Chernozemye” and CRNews from 2014 to 2015. I agreed to work for MK Chernozemye because I liked the publication, especially Moscow-based authors writing about politics, such as Matvey Ganapolsky and Stanislav Belkovsky. But after working with MK Chernozemye, I do not advise anyone to contact the editor-in-chief Shaikin. Even those who decided to work for experience, for experience for meager fees. In 2015, they began to delay the payment of fees, because of this, I stopped working with Shaikin. When the last fee was transferred to me, I wrote to the editor that I had not been paid extra 5 thousand rubles. They told me that I made a mistake in my calculations. The lawyer with whom I consulted said that it would be difficult to prove the fact of non-payment of fees, since there is no official contract, therefore, it will take a lot of time and nerves for a small amount.