Former speaker of the City Duma Lavrichev testified in court.

      The arrested former chairman of the Duma of Nizhny Novgorod and former head of the Arzamas Instrument-Building Plant (APZ), Oleg Lavrichev, was questioned in court in a criminal case on large-scale fraud. This was reported by "Ъ".

      Recall that Lavrichev is accused of procuring, at the plant’s expense, high-tech medical equipment (an X‑ray mammography unit and ultrasound machines) worth more than 22.4 million rubles without the plant having the authority to use it. According to the investigation, he transferred the equipment to an organization founded by his wife, disposing of the said property as his own and thereby causing damage to the enterprise. After that, Lavrichev organized transactions on behalf of the joint-stock company that gave a lawful appearance to the use of the equipment.

      In addition, by misleading members of the governing body about the market value of the property, Lavrichev illegally acquired rights to real estate belonging to the enterprise worth more than 39.5 million rubles.

      The court also began hearing the case of Svetlana Smirnova, who is accused under Part 5 of Article 33 and Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (aiding in the commission of fraud).

      The former general director of the plant agreed that violations were committed, but insisted he had no malicious intent and only wanted to work for the benefit of the enterprise and the plant workers. Lavrichev asserted that he did not know how his subordinate Svetlana Smirnova formalized the transactions. He, in turn, "was mistaken" "out of trust." He said he was guided by a desire to speed up the launch of the mammography project because this issue had become urgent among the female population of Arzamas.

      Lavrichev said that his wife's clinic was unprofitable and he had to cover its costs from his own funds. However, according to the ex-official, over five years more than 4,000 women underwent cancer screening using the mammograph: plant employees under compulsory medical insurance (OMS), and other patients at low tariffs. He emphasized that for the past one and a half years the medical center has not been operating, and APZ refuses to accept the mammograph that is under arrest in the criminal case. "This is the result of a desire to help people in Arzamas with healthcare," he concluded.

      Lavrichev explained the sale of the old residential stock by saying that APZ shareholders wanted to dispose of non-core assets that increased costs. But the investor found, "Zodchiy NN," suddenly announced a lack of funds. Lavrichev then found the money himself through loans. In 2017, LLC "Zodchiy-NN" resold the property to the Arzamas developer "Avangard" for 23 million rubles. According to Lavrichev, the 3 million rubles he received back in cash he was the first among benefactors to invest in the installation of a monument to Sergius Starogorodsky, assisting the Nizhny Novgorod diocese. That taxes were not paid on the second deal and the money was cashed out, the ex-general director said he did not know, having fully relied on Svetlana Smirnova. He also denied her testimony that she handed him 9 million rubles in an envelope, noting that such an amount would not fit into an envelope.

      The Arzamas Instrument-Building Plant demanded recovery of 62 million rubles in damages from both defendants. Svetlana Smirnova will present her version of events in court on September 10.

      Recall that Oleg Lavrichev was detained on April 28, 2024, in the Donbass, where he had gone as a volunteer in the special military operation.

      Author: Viktor Diveev

      More news about the event:

      - Former speaker of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma Lavrichev testified in court

       He stated that he had no criminal intent.

       Former head of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma Oleg Lavrichev testified in court in a criminal case. 16:09 04.09.2025 Newsroom24.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      - Former head of the Nizhny Novgorod Duma Lavrichev testified in court

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      - Former speaker of the City Duma Lavrichev testified in court

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