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A contractor accused of embezzling money from a Kremlin project says federal investigators robbed him

Source: Meduza

Andrey Kaminov — the head of the “Ateks” federal state unitary enterprise and a suspect in the embezzlement case against several contractors and state officials involved in remodeling one of Putin’s presidential residences — says more than $30,000 disappeared from his personal savings, when federal investigators and FSB officers seized his assets on March 21, 2017.

In a letter sent to Federal Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin in late October, Kaminov reportedly says officials confiscated 8.5 million rubles (about $127,135) and $890,000 that belonged to his father. When Kaminov later studied the case materials against him, however, he discovered that the amounts listed in the police paperwork are only 8,003,580 rubles (about $119,700) and $860,000. Kaminov believes the officers who seized his savings and elected not to recount the money were likely the individuals who pocketed the missing sum. It’s unknown if Bastrykin ever responded to Kaminov’s letter.

Investigators say Federal Protective Service (FSO) Major General Igor Vasiliev embezzled money allocated to remodel the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo. In charge of organizing engineering and technical support for the construction project, Vasiliev allegedly conspired with the owners of the Baltstroy holding company and several other high-ranking FSO officials to steal 1.5 billion rubles ($22.4 million) from the government by overcharging for air conditioners and roofing.

Police also arrested another two suspects in the case: Baltstroy co-owners Dmitry Mikhalchenko and Dmitry Sergeyev. In July 2017, federal investigators classified the case as “top secret,” stating that the details of the remodeling work on the presidential residence constitute state secrets.

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