A previous judge and the Deputy Defense Minister of Russia are under suspicion for allegedly misappropriating government money

A previous judge and the Deputy Defense Minister of Russia are under suspicion for allegedly misappropriating government money

Russian authorities have confiscated $144 million in assets from Alexander Chernov, the former chairman of the Krasnodar regional court, in what prosecutors describe as one of the country’s biggest anti-corruption cases.

The holdings—farmland, luxury apartments, businesses, and commercial properties—were allegedly amassed illegally during his 25 years on the bench.

In a separate case, investigators wrapped up proceedings against former deputy defense minister Pavel Popov, accused of bribery, fraud, and abusing his office by siphoning state funds through military construction projects. Popov, who allegedly pocketed more than $500,000, remains in custody with assets worth over $1 million under arrest. OCCRP has reported that such cases are “less about fighting corruption and more about reformatting and nationalizing financial flows to support Russia’s confrontation with the West.”