An official representative of the Committee Vladimir Markin says: “According to the investigators’ version, Nazarov, being on friendly terms with various officials in the prosecution bodies of Moscow Region, was aware of the probe, launched by the law-enforcement agencies into the affairs of head of Serpukhovo municipal district Aleksandr Shestunov in summer 2009. He demanded a bribe of over 62 million roubles to stop the probe. He also demanded to transfer to his possession the property of municipal unitary partnership «Serpukhovo mineral resources» in the the sum of at least 312 million  roubles.”According to Markin’s words, the investigators plan to bring charges against Nazarov over this crime in the  nearest time.

Head of the municipal district Shestun has been found to be an aggrieved party, Matkin explains.

Earlier Nazarov was indicted for organising illegal gambling ring in Moscow region. The court ruled to place him under detention before the trial.

The case of illegal casino ring in 15 towns of Moscow region evoked a wide public response. FSB claims that illegal business brought a monthly profit of $10 m and was assisted by the local prosecutor’s office. Moscow region prosecutor Aleksandr Mokhov and his deputy Aleksandr Ignatenko and 6 other prosecutors whose names turned up during the investigation of the case are now removed from the office and face the internal probe.

Initially Nazarov had been suspended over illegal gambling at the Sheremetyevo airport while awaiting departure together with Ignatenko. However later Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia Vladimir Malinowsky ordered to dismiss the proceedings. The investigators had to open another criminal case. Now Mr Nazarov was suspended on suspicion of fraud. Later the court issued an arrest warrant to him.

On February 17, 2001, despite the objections from the prosecutor’s office, Moscow Region’s  Pushkin Court issued arrest warrant to Nazarov and his associates Mamyev and Alla Guseva. 3 federal security officers were also arrested: deputy head of the economic crime department of Moscow region FSB Nikolai Pyshkin, and two officers of the department Dmitry Akulin and Sergey Yermakov. They are accused of hushing up the illegal gambling.

The representatives of the prosecutor’s office took the defendant’s side. They insisted on cancellation of Nazarov's arrest, claiming he committed the crime related to «illegal business activities» and the Criminal Code in new redaction prohibits to arrest anyone over trivial economic offence.  

The investigators said they faced the aggressive counteraction from the “law enforcement agencies, namely by Moscow region prosecutor’s office”.

Subsequently Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika claimed legal the dismissing of the first case against gambling boss. However when on March 14 President Dmitry Medvedev offered to institute criminal responsibility for illegal gambling business Chaika agreed that sanctions against illegal gambling business «did not answer the threat». He said more serious responsibility was necessary because «now these crimes are being qualified just as illegal business activity» and promised to pass the presidential assignment on to local offices.