The final charge of theft in the housing and communal services was charged in Murmansk

The investigation charged the former adviser to the ex-governor of the Murmansk region Gennady Shubin, his nephew Alexander Khazov and three more involved cases of theft in the housing sector, the press service of the Investigative Committee. Shubin estimates the total damage caused by the victims of criminal acts at more than two billion rubles.

Depending on the role of each, members of the group are accused of committing crimes provided for in paragraph 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code (fraud committed on an especially large scale in the organized group, four episodes) and paragraph 2 of Article 174.1 (legalization of funds acquired as a result of the crime, three episodes).

"The investigation established that from 2008 to 2012, Shubin created and led an organized group, which systematically committed theft of cash of electricity suppliers in the territory of the Murmansk region. The crime group also included Khazov," the report said.

In addition, according to investigators, Shubin and Khazov committed the theft of funds of Sberbank of Russia OJSC. They issued credit obligations in the amount of 150 million rubles and 280 million rubles. Borrowed funds were sent to the company affiliated by the accused.

Also, the investigation establishes the fact of illegal seizure of Shubin municipal property worth more than 200 million rubles. "The bankruptcy trustee was involved in the criminal scheme of the seizure, who decided on an additional emission of shares in the TVS OJSC and the placement of shares in the organization, the head of which was Shubin. As a result of this, Shubin acquired the opportunity to dispose of municipal property," the TFR noted.

On February 14, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Murmansk arrested Shubin . Then it was reported that Shubin built the vertically integrated structure of Colennergo, including over 100 companies, including those registered in offshore zones abroad. Kolenergo controlled almost 70 percent of the electricity market in the region and at least 60 percent of the housing and communal services market. Companies included in the structure were used for theft and legalization of funds.

On February 25, the Minister of Energy and Housing and Public Utilities of the Murmansk Region Gennady Mikichura was fired . Earlier, President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in the Kremlin criticized the excessive growth of utility bills in the country. "The Minister of Mikichura was resigned for miscalculations made in the preparation of the procedure for introducing new standards for housing and communal services in the region," said the head of the press service of the regional government Vitaly Izmailov.

The resolution of the Ministry of Housing and Public Utilities on the introduction of new utility tariffs was canceled. The governor of the Murmansk region Marina Kovtun said that "for overpayment for January, citizens will recalculate." According to Kovtun, in fact, payments for housing and communal services have increased by 40 percent. In February, rallies were held in a number of cities of the region against the introduction of new standards.