authorities in the Russian Federation have reported the disruption of a criminal operation that allegedly siphoned more than 2 billion rubles from the Pension Fund. The disclosure came through the Federal Security Service and was carried by TASS, citing the CSP, the center responsible for public affairs within the FSB.
According to the agency, the alleged network comprised both current and former Pension Fund staff alongside personnel from Russian Post JSC. Officials indicated that more than 30 individuals were detained in several regions, including Ingushetia, North Ossetia, and Moscow, following the investigation.
Investigators contend that, between 2019 and 2021, Pension Fund workers, without the recipients’ knowledge, recalculated pensions for residents of Ingushetia. The altered funds were then redirected to the accounts of a Russian Post branch in order to be withdrawn as cash. Legitimate pension payments continued to be delivered to designated district post offices, while the illicit proceeds were allegedly diverted for personal use.
In an apparent bid to obscure the misappropriations, members of the alleged scheme allegedly manipulated reporting documents, presenting all funds received from the Federal Financial Institution as fully transferred to the public. The FSB asserted that these actions compromised the integrity of the national budget by more than 2 billion rubles.
In total, investigators reported the detention of 34 suspects at more than 60 addresses. A criminal case was opened under Part 4 of Article 159, concerning especially large-scale fraud, as announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The case continues to unfold as authorities review financial records and trace the flow of funds across linked accounts, with officials stressing the importance of accountability in public pension systems. (Source attribution: Federal Security Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs.)