An elderly man from Yekaterinburg, a major city in the Urals, is facing a demand for a 12 million rouble (US$135,000) fine over donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

At a hearing in the Zheleznodorozhny District Court in Yekaterinburg, the prosecutor requested that elderly man Andrey Kuzhelev be fined 12 million roubles (US$135,000) in the case concerning donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). This was reported by SOTAvision.

Kuzhelev, who is 69 years old, is charged under the article on financing extremist activities (Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code). His case was submitted to the court at the end of June.

According to investigators, from 5 August 2021 to 19 February 2022, the elderly man carried out 14 money transfers to the Anti-Corruption Foundation. The total amount of these transfers is approximately 13,000 roubles (about US$145).

The prosecution has requested that Kuzhelev be fined the equivalent of two years’ salary, which amounts to 12 million roubles (US$135,000). The defence asked for a smaller fine, suggesting an amount between 300,000 and 700,000 roubles (US$3,400–8,000).

As reported by SOTAvision, Kuzhelev said at one of the hearings that he was living in Spain when he set up the donation subscription, and at that time was unaware that the FBK had been declared an extremist organisation. He also insisted that his donations were not for extremist activities, but to support the fight against corruption.