Former FSB Colonel Sentenced to 11 Years for Extortion
Mikhail Polyakov, a former FSB colonel and administrator of Telegram channels 'Kremlin Laundry' and 'Nezygar', was sentenced to 11 years in a strict-regime colony for extortion. He and two associates were accused of demanding over 50 million rubles from top managers of the IT company 'Lanit' to stop publishing negative content about them.
Consensus
- Mikhail Polyakov was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Moscow Garrison Military Court.
- Polyakov was the administrator of Telegram channels 'Kremlin Laundry' (Kremlevskaya Prahka) and 'Nezygar'.
- The court also imposed a fine of 800,000 rubles on Polyakov.
- Polyakov was stripped of his rank of colonel in retirement.
- Two co-defendants, Alexander Sanin and Denis Savinsky, were sentenced to 9 and 8 years in prison respectively.
- All three defendants did not admit guilt.
- The case involved extortion of funds from top managers of the IT company 'Lanит'.
- The extortion was allegedly tied to demands for stopping the publication of negative content in Telegram channels.
- The trial was held in closed session at the request of the victims.
- The channels 'Kremlin Laundry', 'Nezygar', 'Brief', 'VChK-OGPU', and 'Banksta' were used in the alleged scheme.
- The alleged extortion occurred between 2021 and 2023.
- The court satisfied civil claims for over 44 million rubles.
Points of divergence
- The amount of extortion was 42.5 million rubles, later increased to 50 million. — tg_sotavisionmedia
- Polyakov was the head of the department for constitutional security at the FSB in Moscow and Moscow Oblast, and he coordinated Telegram channels with Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. — novaya_eu
- Polyakov was arrested for engaging in commercial activities without approval from higher authorities. — tg_echoonline_news
- Polyakov claimed he did not know Sanin and denied discussing negative posts with 'Lanit' representatives. — tg_echoonline_news
- The prosecution initially requested 13 years in prison for Polyakov. — tg_echoonline_news
- Polyakov alleged that he was beaten and threatened with execution by security forces after his arrest. — tg_echoonline_news
- The group operated from November 2020 to July 2023. — tg_sotavisionmedia
- The funds were initially demanded in dollars and later in cryptocurrency. — tg_sotavisionmedia
- One additional defendant is still at large. — tg_varlamov_news
Coverage (17 sources)
- Administrator of the "Kremlin Laundry" Pokhlyakov sentenced to 11 years in prison — РИАМО
- Retired Colonel Mikhail Polyakov sentenced for Telegram extortion — Коммерсантъ
- Former colonel of the FSB, administrator of the 'Kremlin Laundry' channel, sentenced to 11 years in a colony for extortion — Новая газета Европа
- Former FSB officer and owner of 'Kremlin Laundry' channel sentenced to 11 years on extortion case — SOTAvision
- Colonel Mikhail Polyakov of the FSB in retirement, suspected administrator of Telegram channels 'Kremlin Laundry' and 'Nezy...', — Varlamov News
- Colonel of the FSB and Telegram channel administrator of «Kremlin Laundry» sentenced to 11 years in prison for extortion case — ЭХО / Новости
- Administrator of the 'Kremlin Laundry' sentenced to 11 years — Дождь
- Moscow Garrison Military Court Sentenced Retired FSB Colonel and Telegram Channel Administrator 'Kremlin Maid'... — Радио Свобода
- Administrator of the 'Kremlin Laundry' channel received 11 years for extortion — Вести
- Telegram channel administrator 'Kremlin Laundry' sentenced to 11 years in a strict regime prison for extortion — Дождь (Telegram)
- Ex-FSB officer Mikhail Polyakov, owner of the Telegram channel 'Kremlin Laundry,' sentenced to 11 years in prison in extortion case — Медиазона
- Colonel FSB Polyakov sentenced to 11 years of strict regime on case regarding Telegram channels 'Kremlin Laundry' and 'Nezygar...', — Важные истории
- Telegram channel administrator Mikhail Polyakov sentenced to 11 years for extortion over 'block on negativity' — Meduza
- Administrator of the channel 'Kremlin Laundrywoman' given 11 years for extortion — Коммерсантъ
- The administrator of the Telegram channel 'Kremlin Laundry' Polikov was sentenced for extortion: what term he received — Вечерняя Москва
- Telegram channel administrator Mikhail Polyakov, known as "Uncle Misha," sentenced to 11 years of correctional colony... — Baza
- Telegram channel administrator "Kremlin Laundry" sentenced to 11 years for extortion — Москва 24
Key entities
- Mikhail Polyakov
- FSB
- Moscow Garrison Military Court
- Lanit
- Telegram channel
- Nezhygari
- TASS
- IT Company
- Kremlin Laundry
- Aleksandr Sanin
- Commerzant
- Moscow
- Russia
- Caution, News
- Kirienko