The Bolshoi Theatre cleaner was duped out of 2 million rubles by scammers acting in the name of director Valery Gergiev. This development was reported by the Mash Telegram channel. The incident underscores how convincing impersonation can be and the substantial sums that can be lost when trust is exploited.
According to the account, a message reached 65-year-old Naila A. purportedly from Gergiev. The message claimed that the theatre’s security unit had questions to address and urged her to make contact. Shortly after, she was allegedly approached by someone claiming to be from the security service who warned that her card had been hacked and that her funds might be diverted to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The scammers used fear and urgency to prompt action.
Under pressure, the woman agreed to take out a high-interest loan and withdraw her own money. Bank staff tried to intervene, but the pressure and apparent legitimacy of the warning persuaded her to proceed. Law enforcement officials are actively pursuing the perpetrators and urging the public to stay vigilant against similar schemes.
In a related development, actress Ekaterina Volkova revealed that she, too, had fallen victim to scammers. She described a network of accounts on social media that showcased animal feed for sale at low prices in Russia. Volkova admitted she did not suspect any malice at first because reviews, videos, and photos appeared convincing and credible.
Previously, Lolita expressed remarks about creating a nickname for a shaman, reflecting how public figures sometimes engage with online personas that can be misread or exploited by others with ill intent. The incidents collectively highlight the ongoing risks of social engineering and the need for careful verification when dealing with financial matters or personal information online.
Experts recommend several practical steps to reduce risk: verify any request through an official channel, avoid sharing sensitive data, contact financial institutions directly using known contact details, and report suspicious messages to authorities promptly. Victims are encouraged to document the communications and preserve any proof of the transactions to aid investigations.
Overall, the episodes at the Bolshoi Theatre and the experiences of the involved public figures illustrate a broader pattern of fraud that targets high-profile communities and ordinary citizens alike. While authorities work to identify and arrest those responsible, audiences are reminded to maintain healthy skepticism and to rely on verified sources when questions about security or finances arise.
Attributed coverage confirms these developments via the Mash Telegram channel and accompanying social media reports, underscoring the importance of cross-checking information across multiple credible sources before taking action.