Khabarovsk trial exposes 14M ruble fraud in sunken vessel salvage scheme
A 52-year-old director of Daltekhprom LLC will face trial in Khabarovsk on fraud charges. The case involves the alleged embezzlement of 14 million rubles meant for salvaging sunken vessels at Vanino Port. Investigators claim the project existed only on paper while the funds were misused. The contract, valued at nearly 14 million rubles, required the work to be finished by November 2023. Instead, authorities allege the director falsified completion documents to secure the payment. The funds, intended for recovering submerged ships, were reportedly diverted.
An accountant from the same company also remains under suspicion for stealing 6.2 million rubles. The criminal case has now been sent to Khabarovsk’s Central District Court for proceedings. Earlier, a former deputy minister of transport and road infrastructure was convicted of negligence in connection with the project. The official received a 500,000-ruble fine for failing to oversee the contract properly.
The trial will determine whether the director is guilty of fraud and embezzlement. If convicted, the case could lead to further scrutiny of budget fund allocations in the region. The outcome may also affect ongoing investigations into the accountant’s alleged role in the theft.
