Ex-official in Neryungri jailed for embezzling public event funds
A former official in Neryungri has been convicted of embezzling public funds. Lev Zotov, once the deputy head of the district's social affairs department, received a suspended sentence for fraud in 2023. The case involved falsified documents and the misuse of budget money intended for local events.
Lev Zotov was arrested in August 2024 after an investigation into his financial dealings. As deputy head of Neryungri Municipal District, he oversaw social affairs and managed public funds. Authorities later discovered he had created fake records to justify payments to a non-existent contractor.
The scheme allowed him to divert 246,400 rubles from the budget. Of this amount, 215,140 rubles had been allocated for event planning services that never took place. A court found him guilty of fraud through abuse of his official position. In 2023, Zotov received a sentence of two years and six months, suspended for a probation period of one year and six months. He was also fined 30,000 rubles. By March 2026, no public reports had emerged about new safeguards introduced by the city to prevent similar cases.
The conviction highlights gaps in oversight within Neryungri's administration. Zotov's suspended sentence and fine mark the end of the legal process, but no further action to tighten financial controls has been announced. The misused funds remain unrecovered as of the latest updates.
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