The prosecutor demanded to sentence the former mayor of Sochi to a long term.
The prosecutor demanded to sentence the former mayor of Sochi, Alexey Kopaygorodsky, to 21 years in a strict regime colony for receiving bribes totaling more than 300 million rubles.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in mid-April, the appellate court upheld the decision to seize property worth 1.6 billion rubles from the former mayor of Sochi, Alexey Kopaygorodsky, and transfer it to the state.
In September 2024, the court arrested the former mayor of Sochi Alexey Kopaygorodsky. He was charged with receiving bribes, embezzlement, and receiving significant rewards. His wife, Yanina Kopaygorodskaya, was accused of embezzlement, mediating in bribery, and pressuring witnesses. The investigation believes that the couple, taking advantage of their position, illegally received almost 332 million rubles. In 2025, new charges were brought against Kopaygorodsky for laundering criminal proceeds amounting to over 104 million rubles. His wife is also involved in this case.
Alexey Kopaygorodsky is accused of receiving bribes on a particularly large scale, laundering criminal proceeds, and embezzlement. He faces a total of seven criminal episodes. In particular, according to the investigation, large businessmen and developers gave bribes to the mayor, fearing consequences for their activities in case of refusal, "Kommersant" reports today.
In addition, the prosecutor demanded to fine him 500 million rubles, prohibit him from holding leadership positions in government for 15 years, confiscate the previously seized 319.7 million rubles, and strip him of the medal of the Order of "For Merit to the Fatherland".
Also, state prosecutor Mikhail Reznichenko demanded to convict the former official's wife, Yanina Kopaygorodskaya, to 16 years in a general regime colony for aiding in embezzlement, receiving bribes, and impose a fine of 500 million rubles on her.
For the third defendant, Alexander Pasunko, accused of pressuring a witness, the prosecutor proposed a fine of 200 thousand rubles. The state prosecutor also requested to satisfy the claim of the Sochi city administration against the convicted.
Recall that in January 2026, Yanina Kopaygorodskaya challenged the decision to transfer the apartment on Tsvetnoy Boulevard in Moscow to the state, claiming that it is the only housing for their four minor children.
On November 21, 2025, the Prosecutor General's Office approved the indictment and sent the case of Alexey and Yanina Kopaygorodsky to the Supreme Court to determine territorial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court determined the territorial jurisdiction of the case, and it was transferred for consideration to the Meshchansky Court of Moscow. In February, the Supreme Court upheld the decision to transfer the case to the Moscow court.
Born in Krasnodar, Alexey Kopaygorodsky headed Sochi since 2019. On May 14, 2024, he submitted his resignation due to a transition to a new job, and the next day the city assembly accepted the mayor's resignation. In September 2024, the court arrested Kopaygorodsky on charges of receiving bribes, embezzlement, and receiving significant rewards.