Roskomnadzor employee gets 4-year probation for FBK donation
An employee of the Roskomnadzor received a suspended sentence for donating to FBK. The Izmailovsky Court of Moscow sentenced the lead programmer of the Main Radio Frequency Center, which is part of the Roskomnadzor structures, Leonid Stepanov, to four years in prison on a suspended sentence for funding extremism.
Consensus
- Leonid Stepanov, a 48-year-old senior programmer at the Main Radio Frequency Center under Roskomnadzor, was sentenced to four years of probation.
- The conviction was for financing extremism under Article 280.1 of the Russian Criminal Code.
- The donations totaled 1,532 rubles and 43 kopecks, made in two transactions after the FBK was declared an extremist organization in August 2021.
- The case was initiated in May 2026.
- Stepanov was held under house arrest during the investigation.
- Stepanov admitted guilt and expressed remorse in court.
- His defense requested a fine, while the prosecution sought six years of imprisonment.
- The court accepted the defense's request to include Stepanov's state awards in the case file: a letter of gratitude from Roskomnadzor 'For conscientious work' and a commemorative badge 'For dedication to profession'.
- The court also considered that Stepanov had previously donated 2,000 rubles to FBK before its ban.
- The case was reported by Meduza and covered by multiple Telegram channels and media outlets.
Points of divergence
- Stepanov made two payments totaling 1,532 rubles after the ban, and an additional 2,000 rubles before the ban. — tg_severrealii
- The court considered that Stepanov's donations were for 'legal political activity' as he claimed. — tg_tvrain
- Stepanov stated he followed Alexei Navalny's activities since 2020 and supported his 'legal political activity'. — tg_sotavisionmedia
- As of April 2026, at least 225 criminal cases were initiated in Russia for donations to FBK after its ban. — meduza
- As of April 2026, 167 verdicts were issued in such cases, with 24 people receiving real prison sentences. — tvrain
- The court received Stepanov's Roskomnadzor awards during the trial. — tg_astrapress
- The judge's name was Ekateryna Stepanina. — mediazona
Coverage (7 sources)
- Roskomnadzor employee sentenced to four years probation for FBK donations — ASTRA
- Roskomnadzor employee sentenced to four years probation for FBK donation — Meduza
- Roskomnadzor employee received suspended sentence for FBC donation — Север.Реалии
- Roskomnadzor employee sentenced to 4 years probation for donating 1532 rubles to 'extremist' FBK — SOTAvision
- RKN employee given four years probation for FBK donations totaling 1,500 rubles. Prosecution requested six years in prison — Дождь (Telegram)
- RKN employee given four years suspended for FBK donations of 1,500 rubles — Дождь
- Roskomnadzor employee sentenced to 4 years probation for donating 1,500 rubles to FBC — Медиазона
Key entities
- FBK
- Roskomnadzor
- Moscow
- Stepanov
- Mediasphere
- Roskomnadzor
- Main Radio Frequency Center
- Izmailovsky Court
- Izmailovsky District Court
- GRCC
- Foundation for Fighting Corruption
- Ekaterina Stepina
- FBK Court