20 thousand euro bribe
A Polish citizen with diplomatic status was detained in Moscow by the Federal Security Service. The service stated that a diplomat was caught in the act receiving a bribe amounting to 20,000 euros.
According to officials, Bockschneider Malgorzata Eva, a Polish national employed by an international financial institution with diplomatic privileges, was intercepted while accepting a bribe tied to the creation of fictitious shipping documents. These documents were allegedly intended to secure exemption from customs duties on imports of alcohol meant for commercial distribution. The ministry noted that the Russian Foreign Ministry labeled the individual unacceptable and suggested she should depart from the country within a week.
Beyond this case, FSB officers reported the uncovering of a contraband warehouse and the arrest of three Russian citizens involved in regulating illicit channels for importing alcoholic products into Russia. The operation resulted in the seizure of alcohol in volumes exceeding 40 tons with a value surpassing $2 million. A criminal case was opened by the investigative unit of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs under Part 2 of Article 200.2, addressing large-scale illegal movement of alcoholic products across the customs border by a group working together or by an official abusing office, and under Section 6 of Article 171.1 of the Criminal Code, which covers production, purchase, storage, and transportation by a group for the purpose of selling unlabeled alcoholic goods on a large scale.
Irina Volk, the spokesperson for Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, confirmed to reporters that investigators in the transport department have launched a case involving alcohol smuggling and the sale of unlabeled goods.
Investigators indicated that two individuals had illegally shipped alcohol across the borders of the Customs Union. The shipments relied on fictitious shipping documents. Volk noted that some of the goods were handed to an accomplice for sale, while the remainder was stored in a warehouse complex within the Moscow region. Three suspects were placed under house arrest as the inquiry continued.
detention video
The FSB released footage of Bockschneider’s detention. It shows the woman leaving a banking facility in Moscow and meeting a man on the street. The two then move through the building together. A hidden-camera segment from a man’s chest camera captures a brief exchange, followed by additional footage from another camera and a side security camera. The dialogue is concise.
The transcript includes lines suggesting a coded relationship and exchanging an envelope, followed by a reply that signals a neutral response. The surveillance shows the woman walking backward toward the building’s entrance and then being detained by two plainclothes officers on the stairs.
The video reveals the envelope and currency inside marked with visible features. Ultraviolet light highlights traces of a substance rubbed onto the money. The montage also identifies documentation listing Eva Bockschneider as head of the Marketing Support Department within the IBEC Strategic Planning Office.
Scandal with Japanese diplomat
On September 26, governing authorities reported the detention of a Japanese consul in Vladivostok. The FSB stated that the diplomat received restricted information in exchange for payment related to Russia’s cooperation with a nation in the Asia-Pacific region and the impact of Western sanctions on the economy. The incident prompted protests through diplomatic channels from Tokyo. The FSB described Tatsunori as the Consulate General’s consul involved in political affairs.
The ministry added that the Japanese side voiced its concerns via formal diplomatic channels. The FSB asserted that Tatsunori played a role in handling political matters at the consulate and faced questions about the exchange of sensitive data for financial gain. [Citation: official statements from the FSB and related ministries]