A video by the Committee of Inquiry of the Russian Federation shows a villa in the city of Stavropol, which is bursting with pomp and kitsch. Chandeliers, ceiling paintings and free-standing bathtubs – almost every piece of furniture is gold-plated, even the toilet.
The owner is Alexei Safonov (45), head of the local traffic police. The official is said to have built the Protz-Palast with the help of bribes. He and numerous employees of his agency are said to have accepted bribes amounting to 19 million Russian rubles, the equivalent of almost 240,000 francs. As reported by the Ria news agency, the corrupt gang has now been exposed. Safonov faces up to 15 years imprisonment.
Unhindered transport of goods
According to the investigative committee, Safonov and his men had issued ID cards for years. They distributed these for cash to truck drivers who had transported grain and other cargo in the Stavropol region.
These “VIP” permits allowed drivers to move goods unhindered, including through the checkpoints of the State Traffic Police in Stavropol.
The arrested Safonov says the house belongs to his wife. “I moved into this house five years ago and it was already built.” At that time she was already living in the house and had it set up accordingly, he says. He added: “I would not have done a number of things that are there. Everyone has their own taste. ” (bra)