the former vice-governor of the Rostov region and two businessmen were brought to trial

The case of the “golden” sand. In Rostov-on-Don, the trial of the former deputy governor of the region Sergey Sidash has started. A former high-ranking official is accused of abuse of office. As established by the investigation, during the construction of the stadium before the World Cup, the contractor company, with Sidash’s permission, imported substandard fine-grained sand to the facility. How did the former official buried his career?

“Did you manage to visit the Rostov Arena yourself after these events?” – Sergei Sidas is asked.

I managed to visit a pre-trial detention center, now under house arrest, but not at the new Rostov-Arena stadium. Former deputy governor of the Rostov region Sergei Sidash, who was in charge of housing and communal services and construction in the government, refuses to comment on this topic. As well as two businessmen – the founder of the local company Valentin Levanov and its general director Andrey Androsov. All three were brought to trial on charges of embezzling budget funds. Millions, as the investigation believes, were buried in the sand during the construction of the sports facility.

The damage to the budget was estimated at 223 million rubles. This is the difference in the cost of materials. As established by the investigation, the contractor company “Dontransgidromekhanizatsiya”, with the criminal permission of the supervisor of the construction of the stadium, Sidash, brought fine-grained sand to the facility. It is cheaper than the high-quality large fraction provided for in the estimate.

Sergey Sidash was arrested in May 2019. Then the public was impressed by the pictures taken in the official’s mansion during a search. A rich wardrobe of business suits and shoes, a collection of watches, jewelry and money in various currencies. And in these photographs, the paintings with which Sidash decorated the office. Here he is depicted in a tailcoat, on this canvas – in the image of the emperor, and here – in a uniform with the star of the Hero of the Soviet Union on his chest.

Dozens of suitcases, bags and boxes were required to seal the seized property. Some, as can be seen in the frames of the operational shooting, are packed to the brim with bundles of banknotes.}

There is already one verdict in this “dusty” case. He was taken out to the former Minister of Construction of the Rostov Region Nikolai Bezuglov. A high-ranking official in the past made a deal with the investigation and was sentenced to two years probation.

But Sergey Sidash faces a real term.

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