Former Russian government minister Mikhail Abyzov has been sentenced to 12 years in a maximum security prison by a Moscow district court. Abyzov, who served as minister for open government affairs from 2012 to 2018 under Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, was convicted on charges of embezzlement and involvement in an alleged organized crime group.
Initially arrested in March 2019 by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, Abyzov faced accusations of being part of a criminal organization that embezzled 4 billion rubles ($43 million) from the Siberian Energy Company and Regional Electric Grid in Novosibirsk. The prosecution sought a 19 1/2-year sentence, while his co-defendants received prison terms ranging from seven to 18 1/2 years.
Abyzov, known for promoting government transparency, denied all charges, calling the indictment an “arbitrary essay on the topic of the Criminal Code.” The alleged crimes included embezzlement, fraud, illegal entrepreneurship, and commercial tampering. Abyzov, once listed as one of Russia’s wealthiest individuals with an estimated fortune of $600 million, had held executive positions in major Russian energy firms before joining the government.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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