Organizers of a network of underground casinos convicted in Volgograd

The organizers of a network of underground casinos in Volgograd, who earned over 70 million rubles from this business, were sentenced to 1.5 and 2 years in prison, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced on Monday. The criminal group was organized by 41-year-old local resident Nikolai Pristromsky. It included the organizer’s brother Vasily, his cousin Alexander Khomutnikov, as well as his acquaintance, inspector of the traffic supervision department of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Russian Department of Internal Affairs for Volgograd, Grigory Melikhov. There was a clear distribution of roles between the participants in the crime. They managed gambling establishments on a territorial basis: one was responsible for the clubs located in the Dzerzhinsky district of the city, the second - in the Traktorozavodsky and Tsentralny districts, the third controlled the illegal activities of such an establishment in the Kirovsky district. “The proceeds from criminal activity were transferred to the organizer of the group, who subsequently distributed them among the accomplices. The total income of the convicts amounted to over 70 million rubles,” the department clarified. By the court verdict, Nikolai Pristromsky was sentenced to two years in prison, Grigory Melikhov - 1.5 years in prison in a general regime colony. The federal law banning gambling came into force in Russia on July 1, 2009. All gambling establishments, according to the law, had to close or move to special gambling zones. However, despite the ban, underground casinos and gambling establishments are constantly being identified and closed. After the actual ban, many casinos and slot machine halls continue to operate under the guise of online clubs and lotteries. "RIA News"

Kommersant (Volgograd) No. 224 from 11/27/2012

Verdict – Kommersant Volgograd