Markus Andrei

Biography

2024: Extradition from Montenegro to the Russian Federation due to charges of giving 2 billion rubles in bribes to officials of the Department of Health of the Bryansk Region

On August 8, 2024, it became known that two Russians, Andrei Marcus and Alexei Ushkalov, accused of bribing officials of the Health Department of the Bryansk Region, were extradited from Montenegro to Russia. According to the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia, the extradition was carried out in the framework of international cooperation at the request of Russian law enforcement agencies.

According to the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office, Markus and Ushkalov are suspected of transferring bribes worth more than ₽2 billion from September 2021 to April 2023. The accused, while in senior positions in one of the pharmaceutical companies, through an intermediary transferred money to officials of the health care system of the Bryansk region for ensuring the regular conclusion of contracts for the supply of medicines.

After the disclosure of the criminal scheme, Markus and Ushkalov fled from law enforcement agencies and were put on the international wanted list. In March 2024, they were detained in Montenegro, after which the Russian authorities sent a request for their extradition.

Accompanied by employees FSIN of Russia and the NCB Interpol , the accused will be delivered to Moscow in transit through, the Republic of Turkey Prosecutor General's Office said.

The maximum punishment in parts 4 and 5 of Article 291 of the Criminal Code of Russia (giving a bribe to an official through an intermediary committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy on a large and especially large scale) provides for up to 15 years in prison with a fine of up to seventy times the amount of the bribe. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, from September 2021 to April 2023, Markus and Ushkalov transferred bribes worth more than ₽2 billion to the deputy director of the health department of the Bryansk region and other officials.^[1]

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