Former directors of the Nizhny Novgorod orphanage "Nadezhda" will be tried for embezzlement.

      13 January 2026 17:00 Incidents

      The prosecutor's office approved an indictment in the criminal case against the former head of the Nadezhda orphanage in Avtozavod. He is suspected of embezzlement and abuse of office, the supervisory authority said.

      Recall that Mikhail Zhinko was detained in February 2025. According to the investigation, from December 1991 to March 2024 the accused organized illegal construction of garages on municipal land along Ilyich Avenue in Nizhny Novgorod. These plots belonged to the municipality, but he transferred them for use to private individuals for a fee. As a result, the region lost the ability to use the land as intended and did not receive rental payments totaling more than 141.8 million rubles.

      In addition, Zhinko instructed the orphanage's chief accountant to include in the institution's expenses payment for electricity consumed in the garage complex he had built. Thus, more than 2.6 million rubles were stolen from the institution's budget.

      To preserve profits from the illegal activity, the accused also paid the land tax for plots used by private individuals using the institution's funds. The total damage from these actions amounted to 7.8 million rubles.

      The investigation also found that the former director fictitiously placed employees on the orphanage's payroll, knowing they would not perform work duties. The salaries accrued to such employees exceeded 1.5 million rubles and were appropriated by the accused.

      In addition, in 2022 he, without the consent of the founder — the region's Ministry of Social Policy — concluded on behalf of the institution 14 contracts worth more than 4.6 million rubles for major repairs with a company under his control, LLC "Nadezhda", registered to his daughter. Although the funds were transferred to the contractor's account, the actual repairs were carried out by the orphanage's own employees. The contracting organization did not fulfill its obligations.

      The criminal case has been sent to court for consideration on the merits.

      Earlier it was reported that the former head of the Sarov district office of the bailiff service was found guilty of abuse of official powers and was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months' imprisonment, suspended, with the same probationary period.

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