Security forces returned $146,700 to the rector of the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster,” which had previously been seized during a search.

The Investigative Committee returned to the businessman from Nizhny Novgorod, rector of the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” Mikhail Iosilevich, the money seized earlier during the search: the amount was $146,700. This is reported in Iosilevich’s channel.

“Incredible! Against the backdrop of all the horror that is happening, this is a great success. I thought I would never see them,” the entrepreneur wrote.

In October 2020, Investigative Committee officers came to a Nizhny Novgorod resident with a search in connection with the case of cooperation with Open Russia, recognized as an undesirable organization. During the investigation, security forces seized the savings of Iosilevich and his family from the safe in the apartment.

The reason for the case was that Iosilevich allowed Open Russia to conduct training for the United Democrats project in his premises. Later, articles on threat of murder or infliction of grievous bodily harm (Article 119 of the Criminal Code) and failure to notify of having a second citizenship (Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code) were added to the charges. According to investigators, Iosilevich threatened witness Yaroslav Grach over the phone and did not inform the authorities about his Israeli citizenship.

In May 2022, Iosilevich was sentenced to a year and eight months in prison in a penal colony. He was found guilty of collaborating with an undesirable organization and threatening to kill; the Nizhny Novgorod resident was acquitted on charges of concealing Israeli citizenship. Taking into account the time spent in pre-trial detention center and under house arrest, the actual term of imprisonment was five months; Iosilevich was released in September .