Advocate linked with Tsapok family suspected of fraud worth 48.5 million roubles

In the Krasnodar Territory, a female advocate is suspected of a fraud amounting to 48.5 million roubles, said the press service of the Investigating Department (ID) for the Krasnodar Territory of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), without specifying the suspect's name. However, law enforcement sources report that the suspect is Victoria Lesnaya, a lawyer, who is defending the interests of employees of the "Artex-Agro", formerly owned by Sergey Tsapok family.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 7 Sergey Tsapok was found dead in a solitary cell of SIZO-1 (pre-trial prison) of Krasnodar, where he was kept after his defence had challenged his verdict. According to prosecutors, the death was caused by occlusion of the pulmonary artery.

According to investigators, back in 2012 the above lawyer promised to director of one of the agricultural enterprises of Kuschevskaya to help in the acquisition of 1000 hectares of agricultural land and in leasing of 6000 hectares more for the period of 15 years.

The said lawyer estimated the deal at 48.5 million roubles, and asked the director to give her 12.5 million roubles in advance. As found by ICRF agents, the woman had no powers to promote the deal. After receiving the money, the suspect spent it to her own discretion, without fulfilling her promises.

A criminal case under the article on a large-scale fraud was opened against the lawyer. This article provides a penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment.