Tsaregorodtsev Grigory

Biography

2023: Arrest in the case of a bribe of 100 million rubles from hackers

In mid-September 2023, it became known that FSB Grigory Tsaregorodtsev, a former employee of the counterintelligence department of the Perm Territory department, was arrested on charges of countering MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Russia and receiving a bribe in the amount of 100 million. rubles This is stated in the decision of the 235th garrison military court. Moscow

Tsaregorodtsev was detained in Perm in April 2023, after which he was sent to Moscow and placed in a pre-trial detention center by a court decision. According to the materials of the case, in February 2022, the accused learned about the detention by the investigative department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of a hacker group, which he secretly took care of for several years. Then Tsaregorodtsev, through third parties, handed over to cybercriminals so that in no case would they disclose to the investigators of the Ministry of Internal Affairs their ties with him. An employee of the special services promised to resolve the issue of transferring hackers to the Perm pre-trial detention center with the subsequent termination of criminal prosecution.

FSB officer arrested in the case of a bribe of 100 million rubles from hackers

"Tsaregorodtsev, being an official, made a bribe in the form of cash on an especially large scale (in the amount of 100 million rubles) for performing both actions included in his official powers and illegal actions, as well as for general patronage and connivance in the service," - said in the decision of the 235th garrison military court.

Tsaregorodtsev's detention, according to the court decision, was extended until November 7, 2023. He is charged under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code - taking a bribe on an especially large scale. The Main Military Investigation Department of the TFR checks the officer for involvement in other corruption crimes. At least two more suspects appear in the case, but their identities are not disclosed. At the same time, the case of the detained cybercriminals is being considered on the merits by the Savelovsky District Court of Moscow.^[1]

2024: Sentence - 9 years in a maximum security colony for bribes and patronage of a hacker group

On April 15, 2024, the Perm Military Garrison Court sentenced Grigory Tsaregorodtsev, a former employee of the regional FSB department. For bribes and patronage of a hacker group, he was sentenced to 9 years in a maximum security colony.

The criminal case against Tsaregorodtsev was initiated on the basis of testimony given by Perm entrepreneurs Alexander Kovalev and Vladislav Gilev, detained in 2022 in the case of illegal circulation of payment funds. The attackers, as established by the investigation, sold the bank card data of US residents, which made it possible to make purchases with their help without the knowledge of the owners. At the same time, Tsaregorodtsev, who specialized in combating crimes in the computer sphere, hid information about the activities of hackers for bribes.

source = FSB

According to the prosecution, from 2016 to 2022, Tsaregorodtsev received a total of more than 160 million from Kovalev and Gilev rubles for "failure to carry out operational-search measures against them." Tsaregorodtsev spent part of the money received on real estate and movable property, which he issued for relatives. These are two allotments and two private homes close to, Perm as well as Mercedes E-Class and Range Rover cars. During the investigation, five gold bars and $52 thousand were seized. In addition, an arrest was imposed on the apartment and the parking space, which Tsaregorodtsev, through a donation agreement, issued for his mother.

During the hearing, Tsaregorodtsev admitted receiving the money, but said that they were not a bribe. The ex-FSB officer insisted that "he decided to deceive entrepreneurs, and could not influence their prosecution or non-prosecution by virtue of his official powers."

The court found Tsaregorodtsev guilty of committing a crime under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code. In addition to the prison term, he was fined two times the amount of the bribe, that is, about 320 million rubles. The court also stripped Tsaregorodtsev of the military rank of reserve major and banned him from holding certain positions for eight years after his release.^[2]

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