Aleksey Laifer is taken behind the garages
Frunzensky district court of Vladivostok ordered the deputy city head to be held for two months Alexey Lyiferreported on court website.
The deputy mayor is accused of accepting a large bribe and abusing official powers with serious consequences (paragraph “c” of part 5 of article 290 and paragraph “c” of part 3 of article 286 of the Criminal Code). The maximum punishment is 12 and 10 years in prison, respectively. The investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Committee requested Leifer’s detention.
According to the investigation, from December 2021 to January 2022, the accused influenced the head of the EMS of Vladivostok, who is under his authority, to make a favorable decision on the application for a group of citizens to obtain a shared ownership of a land plot for the future use of 10 garages covering 203.4 square meters, without bidding. The land was then sold for only 5% of its actual value, even though it was valued at over 21 million rubles. Additionally, in October 2018, the defendant received a bribe of at least 300 thousand rubles for helping to secure a lease agreement for another land plot.
Investigators from the Investigative Committee have searched the defendant’s apartment and workplace, seizing communication devices, electronic media, and other items related to the criminal case. Money was also seized from the residence for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the court's decision for arrest.
As per KONKURENT.RU sources, Karapetyan disclosed a bribe he allegedly gave to Leifer while working in the department of property and land relations of the Primorsky Territory Administration, when Karapetyan was just a lawyer.
Former head of the municipal property department of Vladivostok Armen Karapetyan made a deal with the investigating authorities and is giving important testimony, according to sources from KONKURENT.RU. It was based on Karapetyan's statements that a criminal case was opened against Vice Mayor Alexei Leifer.
As per KONKURENT.RU sources, Karapetyan revealed a bribe he allegedly gave to Leifer while working in the department of property and land relations of the Primorsky Territory Administration, when Karapetyan was just a lawyer.
On official website of Vladivostok it is said that Leifer manages the departments of municipal property, urban planning, architecture and construction of the Vladivostok city district, environmental protection and nature management, as well as the legal department.
In December last year, the court arrested the former vice-mayor of Vladivostok for two months. Natalia Sokolova on charges of abuse of office in the sale of land, reported “RIA Novosti” representative of the Frunzensky District Court of Vladivostok. Armen Karapetyan, director of the municipal property department, is under investigation in the same case; he was sentenced to two months of house arrest, stated in the Investigative Committee.
