Sopchuk Sergei Andreevich

Sopchuk Sergei Andreevich

Biography

2016-2023

Sergei Sopchuk was a deputy of the State Duma of the VII convocation (2016-2021), representing the United Russia party. He served on the Committee on Transport and Construction. Prior to his parliamentary activities, Sopchuk served as speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Primorsky Territory and first vice-governor of the region. In 2020, he declared income of approximately ₽37 million.

After the expiration of the term of deputy powers in November 2021, a criminal case was initiated against Sopchuk on charges of illegal entrepreneurship (Article 289 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and money laundering (part 4 of Article 174.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Subsequently, he was put on the international wanted list and arrested in absentia.

2024: Transfer of property worth 41 billion rubles to the state by court decision

At the end of August 2024, the Zamoskvoretsky Court of Moscow decided to transfer the property of ex-State Duma deputy Sergei Sopchuk to the state for an amount exceeding ₽41 billion. This was reported by the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). This decision was made on the basis of materials provided by the FSB, at the suit of the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia.

According to Interfax, former deputy Sergei Sopchuk, while still in 2006 on the territory of Primorsky Krai, founded the gold mining company Terney Zolot LLC. In the course of his activities, Sopchuk brought into private ownership a number of infrastructure facilities located at checkpoints across the state border of Russia. In the future, in order to avoid justice, the ex-deputy fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in July 2021.

The trial involved 79 objects of movable and immovable property, which, according to the investigation, were illegally acquired. Among these assets were both Sopchuk's personal property and assets related to his entrepreneurial activities. This property was recognized as illegally acquired and is subject to transfer to the state budget.

By the end of August 2024, the Russian investigating authorities continue to search for him, the whereabouts of the ex-State Duma deputy arrested in absentia remains unknown.^[1]

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