The Moscow City Court canceled the search in the case of laundering $24 million due to the defendant’s participation in the war

The Moscow City Court canceled the international search for Alexander Dagutsy, who, according to the investigation, participated in the withdrawal of 24 million dollars from Russia abroad. The judge took into account that Dagutsa signed a contract for military service and went to fight with Ukraine. “Kommersant” writes about it.

According to the newspaper, Dagutsa was under a stay-at-home order, but then decided to go as a volunteer to the combat zone. Daguts never served in the army, therefore both the military enlistment office in Moscow and the representative office of PMC “Wagner” refused to conclude a contract with him.

To get into the war, Daguts managed to get through the military enlistment office in Novorossiysk. Now the person accused of embezzling money from Russia serves as a grenade launcher driver in the 108th Guards Airborne Assault Regiment.

The case of Dagutsa is being conducted by the Lefortovsky Court of Moscow. Judge Elena Halykhanova, the accused sent a statement in which he asked to suspend the process due to his participation in the “special military operation” (that’s how the war with Ukraine is officially called in Russia). Dagutsa promised to voluntarily appear in court after the end of hostilities or the completion of his contract. The prosecutors were not satisfied with the statement, and they achieved the arrest of the accused in absentia and the announcement of him as wanted.

The lawyer filed a complaint with the Moscow City Court against the actions of the state prosecution. The court considered that Dagutsa was absent for a valid reason and canceled the search. Further criminal prosecution of Dagutsy will be decided after the completion of his participation in hostilities, Kommersant writes.

Daguts did not admit his guilt in withdrawing 24 million dollars from Russia.

• In November, the editions “Vazhnye istorii” and “Vyorstka” reported that Russian courts have already begun to consider participation in the war in Ukraine or a declared desire to participate in it as mitigating circumstances. According to the calculations of “Important Histories”, only in a quarter of the sentences, those who fought in Ukraine received the same severe punishment as the majority of those convicted under the same articles.
• In October 2022, the State Duma adopted amendments to the law “On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization”, which allowed the mobilization of citizens with unexpired or outstanding criminal convictions for serious crimes, with the exception of a number of offenses, including the rape of a minor or the taking of a hostage. Apparently, the draft law is being used to attract prisoners of Russian colonies to the PMC “Wagner”.
• In March 2022, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, signed a law allowing suspects and those accused of crimes of medium severity to be drafted into the army to participate in the war with Russia.

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