The State Duma thanked Salyakhov for helping the Northern Military District soldiers

The leader of the organized crime group “29th complex” Adygan Salyakhov was given 12.5 years for organizing the murder of an Elabuga businessman and local deputy Aidara Israfilova in 1999, and in total 25 years. Since he entered into a pre-trial agreement, Judge Anna Kozlova of the Savyolovsky District Court of Moscow needed only one hearing to pronounce a sentence. At the same time, prosecutor Milana Digaeva asked Salyakhova to be sentenced to 13 years in prison for this episode (he was convicted back in 2006 for organizing a failed assassination attempt and many other crimes), and a total of 25 years in prison. “The term of the sentence Salyakhov served under the specified sentence will be included in the final punishment,” the prosecutor added. Since by now the leader of the organized crime group “29th Complex” has already served 21 years and 8 months, then, in fact, he has just over three years left behind bars. Moreover, if Salyakhov had not testified against himself and Gafurov, he would have had even less time left to serve in the colony – according to previous sentences, the term was 23.5 years.

During the years of imprisonment, Salyakhov apparently became unaccustomed to the attention of the press, so he even became embarrassed when the cameras clicked. Alik Bolshoi tried in every possible way to hide his face, for which he pulled his black cap lower and pressed himself against the bars, closer to the lawyer, who was giving him the last instructions. As soon as the judge entered, Salyakhov took off his cap and black sports jacket.

Kozlova did not hesitate, immediately established the identity of the accused and found out that he was married and had three children born in 1989, 1990 and 2013. Before his arrest, as Salyakhov said, he worked as the director of the Bars private security company. The lawyer asked that documents about his state of health, as well as a letter of gratitude from the State Duma for the help of the SVO “in monetary equivalent,” be attached to the case materials. A little later, at the trial, Salyakhov himself clarified that he sent humanitarian aid in the form of food and clothing from places of detention to the special operation zone.

How Ilshat Gafurov persuaded the leader of the “29th complex”

After this, Digaeva read out the indictment to Salyakhov. In fact, the plot of the case is the same as that of the ex-rector of KFU Ilshat Gafurov. We talk about this in detail wrote. In short, in 1993, Salyakhov, Yuri Eremenko and Alexander Vlasov created the criminal community “29th complex”, later Ruzal Asadullin joined them. At the same time, Salyakhov himself occupied a higher position in relation to others. “Created by combining structural units – organized groups and gangs – the criminal community “29th complex” pursued the following goals: occupying dominant positions in the criminal environment, obtaining material benefits, including through the provision of criminal patronage services (“protection protection”) to entrepreneurs and organizations, the systematic commission of grave and especially grave crimes, including the murder of citizens for hire,” Digaeva said.

Gafurov, who until 1995 was the director of the Kama branch of the Zilant insurance company, “was also under the criminal patronage of the 29th Complex criminal community.” “At the same time, Gafurov, who maintains stable mutually beneficial relations with the leaders of the criminal community “29th complex,” was reliably aware of the goals of creating a criminal organization, the readiness of its members to commit murders of citizens, and the presence of stable armed groups in the structure of the “29th complex” ( gangs) created to achieve the goals of a criminal community, whose members were armed with firearms and bladed weapons, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices, as well as a system for transferring funds to the general cash fund (“common fund”),” Digaeva said.

Gafurov maintained contact and “trustful relationships” with the organized crime group also after his election as a deputy of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan and his appointment as head of the administration of Yelabuga and the Yelabuga region. It was Gafurov, according to the prosecution, who “persuaded them to organize a particularly serious crime” – the murder of Israfilov, with whom they had a conflict. As we have already told you, the first attempt was unsuccessful: the killer Valery Melnikov refused to kill the businessman and told him that he had been ordered.

After this, Israfilov openly stated in the media that Gafurov, Salyakhov and other members of the “29th complex” were involved in the assassination attempt, and also intended to run for State Duma deputy in order to gain “more significant political authority than Gafurov.” Then, according to the defendant, the then head of Yelabuga again asked Salyakhov to kill Israfilov, and also involved Ayrat Shakirov in the crime, “knowing that the latter had his own motives for committing the murder of Israfilov.”

As a result, it was decided to kill the businessman in Moscow. Shakirov persuaded Israfilov to go to the capital together, informed the bandits about his movements, handed over a pistol, and Gafurov promised to pay the killer $100 thousand. Alexey Olesik, who was Salyakhov’s security guard, was chosen as the perpetrator, and the driver who was supposed to take him to the crime scene, Andrei Budilin, was allegedly not informed about the murder plans.

“No later than August 27, 1999 (a more precise time has not been established by the investigation), Shakirov, together with Israfilov, left for Moscow, about which, acting in accordance with previously assigned roles, Shakirov informed Asadullina,” Digaeva said. On August 29, Israfilov was shot near the market near the CSKA complex. Olesik then disappeared. “Thus, Salyakhov committed murder, that is, intentionally causing the death of another person, committed by an organized group, for hire, associated with banditry,” the prosecutor concluded.

“We helped him become mayor and deputy, financed his election campaign”

Salyakhov agreed with the accusation and fully admitted his guilt. Then we moved on to interrogating him. The leader of the organized crime group said that Eremenko introduced him to Gafurov back in the early 1990s. At that time, the ex-rector of KFU was heading the Zilant branch.

— The company insured lives and cars. We insured our cars with them. We had a company called Phoenix A. We dealt with KAMAZ vehicles, spare parts, we had our own market, a car showroom. Cars were brought from Tolyatti,” Salyakhov said.

— What kind of relationship did you maintain with Gafurov? – Digaeva asked.

“Friendly,” he answered confidently.

At the same time, in the testimony that Salyakhov gave in January 2022 (read by the prosecutor), he said in more detail that Phoenix A not only sold KAMAZ trucks in Russia, but also supplied them to the PRC. “This line of activity consisted in the fact that we transported KAMAZ vehicles by rail to China, sold them there, and with the proceeds we bought vodka, down jackets and other clothes made in China. The products brought from China were sold through the Avtozavodsky market in Naberezhnye Chelny and shops,” said the leader of the organized crime group.

For this activity, Phoenix A took out a loan from Promstroybank, located in Yelabuga. “The receipt of the loan, since it was for a fairly large amount, was negotiated in the interests of the company by Gafurov Ilshat. From this joint activity with China, Gafurov, like other members of the criminal community “29th complex,” had dividends,” Salyakhov argued. Moreover, according to him, Gafurov himself was selling KAMAZ trucks, buying them at a reduced price.

— Where were the offices of Zilant and Phoenix A located? – Digaeva asked.

“He was always practically next to our office. First one office. And then, when we moved to another office, he asked to move to the floor above us,” Salyakhov added.

According to him, Gafurov knew that Salyakhov was the leader of the organized crime group “29th complex” and what the group was doing.

— Have you used the services of an organized crime group? What services were provided? – asked the prosecutor.

– Certainly. Firstly, he would never have become mayor or deputy. We helped him become mayor and deputy, financed his election campaign. After all, it was the 90s, no one touched him,” the leader of the organized crime group said nostalgically.

– What do you mean “no one touched”?

– Those were the times then. They could ask you to pay. Roof type. Gafurov said that he was in a group with us. “He talked about it everywhere,” Salyakhov assured.

— Did he pay anything for protection?

— In principle, Gafurov was a member of our group. He was the founder of Phoenix A and received dividends,” the accused said.

In addition, according to him, Gafurov also made money at a distillery, which was opened in 1997–1998 and was under the control of the group. “The director of this plant was Sergei Mironov, who was also a member of the criminal community “29th complex” and was more involved in economic issues in the group,” the accused recalled. According to him, Gafurov himself proposed a scheme for earning money. “Gafurov purchased alcohol somewhere, distilled it to our factory, and the workers made and bottled vodka for him from this alcohol. After that, Gafurov sold vodka through some entertainment establishments,” Salyakhov said in January 2022.

“Gafurov promised him a nine-car for murder”

According to Salyakhov, Gafurov and Israfilov actually had a conflict over the Mirage nightclub (formerly the Kama cinema) and the market, which were controlled by the entrepreneur. “Gafurov wanted to take it (Mirage – editor’s note) when he became mayor,” claimed the leader of the 29th Complex organized crime group.

— Why was he interested in taking it from Israfilov? – Digaeva asked.

— In the 1990s, there was one nightclub for the whole city, one big market for the whole city. The city there is small. They were very profitable properties. That’s why he wanted to take it back when he became mayor. At that time it was impossible to redeem. Everything was rented out,” said Salyakhov.

According to him, at first Gafurov turned to Eremenko with a proposal to kill Israfilov. They met in a “forest house”, and after that they came to Moscow. Salyakhov recalled that they met in the city center at that time, and the already mentioned Mironov and even the former first secretary of the Tatar regional committee of the CPSU Fikryat Tabeev were also present at the meeting (though he did not say anything about his role). “At that time we were talking about the Module meat processing plant, which was being built in Yelabuga. At the same time, Gafurov, as I understand it, came for this (to discuss the murder – editor’s note),” Salyakhov noted. At the same time, according to him, Gafurov at that time did not offer money for the crime. “He was a member of our community,” the defendant added.

—What role did he play? — the lawyer clarified.

— He had connections with high-ranking officials in the Republic of Tatarstan. Resolved all issues at the mayor’s office. He has a family in Tatarstan, his father was familiar with Shaimievresolved any issues at the Moscow level,” Salyakhov explained.

Also in his testimony in 2022, Salyakhov said that the group took advantage of Gafurov’s connections with various high-ranking officials, officials, and bankers of Naberezhnye Chelny. “Gafurov, as I understand it, had such connections from his father, who held a leadership position in the Tatneft organization. Through Gafurov’s connections, members of the “29th complex” group resolved various issues not related to criminal activity, for example, to speed up the approval of some documents and decision-making. I personally did not pay any money for this. Gafurov personally agreed on everything, since it was in the interests of the “29th complex,” that is, in fact, in his interests,” prosecutor Salyakhova quoted.

Allegedly, already at that first meeting in Moscow, Gafurov persuaded him to kill Israfilov. Eremenko took charge of organizing the crime; he and Gafurov went to Tatarstan and involved Farid Khisamutdinov in the case. “Gafurov promised him a Nine car for the murder. But the murder didn’t work out,” Salyakhov recalled.

“Gafurov said that he would help me after my release”

After this, according to him, Israfilov began to publicly name the people who were behind the assassination attempt. And then Gafurov again asked Salyakhov for a meeting. “The meeting took place at the Pitsunda restaurant in Moscow. Gafurov arrived: “You couldn’t.” I have problems now, he himself can kill me. We need to finish what we started.” He came to meet with Shakirov, who was one of Israfilov’s close friends. As I understand it, Shakirov wanted to take his place after the murder. Gafurov offered the perpetrator 100 thousand dollars for the murder,” said the leader of the “29th complex.” The second assassination attempt was successful.

— Did you have personal motives for killing Israfilov? – the prosecutor clarified.

“No,” Salyakhov answered briefly, although he admitted that he knew Israfilov, but only fleetingly.

— Why did you decide to report your and Gafurov’s involvement in the murder of Israfilov after such a long time? – Digaeva asked.

– I said it before. In 2010 he also spoke in Tatarstan, in 2011, 2012, 2013. Until the Investigative Committee for Moscow got involved in this…” Salyakhov sighed.

— Can you explain why no decisions were made on your application? Do you know?

“Gafurov has very good connections,” he shook his head.

At the same time, in January 2022, the leader of the “29th complex” claimed that he had not previously testified against Gafurov, because he hoped “for his connections and help.” “However, it later became clear that he not only did not intend to help me, but, on the contrary, tried to eliminate me in prison, because he was afraid that I would testify against him,” said Salyakhov. According to him, around 2002 he was “poisoned with some substance” in a pre-trial detention center in Naberezhnye Chelny. “What saved me was that before that I drank water and ate well, so I didn’t die,” he says.

Salyakhov claims that in 2020, when he was transferred to Kazan for questioning as a witness and he testified against Gafurov, he received threats. “After a short time, one of those detained and held in the temporary detention center gave me a note. Its content was such that I forgot about Yelabuga. I threw out the note, but perceived it as a threat against me,” said the leader of the organized crime group.

Digaeva also read out Salyakhov’s testimony, which he gave on May 18, 2022 after a confrontation with Gafurov. Allegedly, the ex-rector then approached him and asked him to refuse to testify. “Gafurov said that he would help me after my release, he could give me an apartment, in my choice – in Moscow or St. Petersburg, a good car and 15 million rubles. “‘A good car’ is Gafurov’s expression,” the prosecutor quoted. But Salyakhov allegedly refused, saying that he did not need money, a car, or apartments. “Gafurov began to persuade, but I told him that he knew very well that I told the truth at the confrontation about his involvement, and I was not going to change my testimony or refuse it,” said Salyakhov.

“I apologize to the injured party for the crime committed.”

During the debate, Digaeva stated that Salyakhov admitted his guilt in full, entered into a pre-trial cooperation agreement, gave detailed testimony about its commission and the role of each accomplice, and also exposed Gafurov. “The truthfulness and completeness of Salyakhov’s testimony is confirmed by the evidence collected in the case,” the prosecutor clarified. This, in her opinion, may be a mitigating circumstance, as well as active cooperation in solving a crime.

“I ask the court to find Adygan Azatonovich Salyakhov guilty of committing a crime under paragraphs “g”, “h” of Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and sentence him to 13 years in prison. Based on Part 5 of Article 69 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, by partial addition of sentences under the verdict of July 17, 2006, a final sentence of 25 years of imprisonment to be served in a maximum security colony is imposed. I ask you to include the term of the sentence Salyakhov served under the specified sentence into the final punishment,” Digaeva said.

Salyakhov’s lawyer asked to drop the criminal case against her client. “I dare to ask the court to terminate the criminal prosecution of Salyakhov due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution,” she said, and also added that during his imprisonment he had already reformed.

In his last word, Salyakhov himself only apologized to the widow Elena Israfilova, who did not even look in his direction. “I repent for committing this crime. I apologize to the injured party for the crime committed,” Salyakhov said sadly.

After 40 minutes, Kozlova returned to the conference room and sentenced the leader of the 29th Complex organized crime group to 12.5 years in prison for the murder of Israfilov. Having reduced the term for this episode, in total she left the term that the prosecutor asked for – 25 years.