Russian TV personality Ksenia Sobchak on Thursday apologized to Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of Russian state-owned defense corporation Rostec, for the actions of her staff members Kirill Sukhanov, Arian Romanovsky, and Tamerlan Bigaev, who have been charged with extortion
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2022) Russian tv personality Ksenia Sobchak on Thursday apologized to Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of Russian state-owned defense corporation Rostec, for the actions of her staff members Kirill Sukhanov, Arian Romanovsky, and Tamerlan Bigaev, who have been charged with extortion.
In early October, the Russian Interior Ministry said several people were arrested on charges of extortion related to a Telegram channel network that published slanderous materials about high-profile Russian entrepreneurs and officials and demanded money for the posts to be taken down.
"My colleagues, young men (Kirill Sukhanov, Arian Romanovsky, and Tamerlan Bigaev), have become defendants in a criminal case of extortion. They are in custody now, and they are facing serious charges," Sobchak said on Telegram. "I sincerely regret that the actions of my employees harmed Chemezov Sergey Viktorovich, I apologize to him."
Sobchak noted that there was no political context in her apology, and added that the defendants also "sincerely regret the incident."
In late October, judge Anatoly Belyakov of the Tver District Court of Moscow ruled that Sukhanov be arrested until at least December 24 on charges of soliciting 11 million rubles ($180,000) from Chemezov. Sukhanov is suspected of blackmailing Chemezov and threatening to publish disparaging information concerning his KGB past on social media.
The defendant told the court he was ready to admit to receiving 800,000 rubles from the Rostec chief and apologize to him. He is facing up to 15 years in prison and a one million ruble fine if found guilty.
The court also ruled that Romanovsky, the former editor-in-chief of Tatler magazine, would also remain under arrest until December 24 on the same charge as Sukhanov. Romanovsky and Bigaev who were the administrators of a popular gossip Telegram channel.
