The case involving Marina Rakova, who previously held the position of Deputy Minister of Education in Russia, and Sergey Zuev, who formerly led the Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences (Shaninka) as rector, has reached a guilty verdict phase after a lengthy trial. Court records, as reported by TASS, indicate that both defendants have acknowledged their involvement in a broad fraud scheme that drew scrutiny from investigators and prosecutors alike. Rakova expressed a clear admission of guilt, stating that she understood the charges and accepted responsibility for her actions across the implicated counts. Zuev echoed a similar sentiment, admitting guilt and conveying remorse for his role in the alleged misconduct. Several other co-defendants in the same case chose to admit to the charges as part of the ongoing judicial process, signaling a pattern of cooperation among those charged in the fraud network.
On March 6, the Moscow Nikulinsky Court took a decisive step in imposing additional constraints on Rakova and Zuev by extending preventive measures designed to restrict certain activities as the trial proceeds. Specifically, Rakova now faces a continued ban on a set of actions, while Zuev remains subject to similar restrictions until August 21, reflecting the court’s assessment of ongoing risk or likelihood of flight, tampering with witnesses, or other forms of interference with the judicial process. These measures underscore the gravity of the charges and the court’s intent to ensure the integrity of the proceedings as further evidence is examined.
Detailed investigative findings point to Rakova’s leadership within the state-backed fund known as the New Education Forms Development Fund (FGAU), where she served as managing director. The fund reportedly collaborated with Maxim Inkin, a staff member associated with the same organization, over a period spanning from June 2017 to November 2018. The investigators allege that a web of employment arrangements was crafted to benefit Rakova’s close circle, including a civil partner of Rakova, Artur Stetsenko. Through these arrangements, payments labeled as salaries and other disbursements were funneled, ultimately totaling more than 7.7 million rubles. The unfolding scheme allegedly extended to the creation of a fictitious employment contract with the Russian Academy of Education (RANEPA) in September 2018, a move that allegedly diverted an additional sum surpassing 2.1 million rubles from the budget. Such acts would constitute a significant breach of public trust and misuse of public funds if proven in court, according to prosecutors striving to paint a comprehensive picture of how funds were diverted through layered contracts and fake payrolls.
Beyond these central allegations, investigators have suggested that the defendants were involved in a broader range of financial fraud activity linked to the same case. The scope of the alleged conspiracy underscores the challenges that confront authorities when reconciling legitimate educational investments with fraudulent schemes and paired misrepresentations. The narrative emerging from court filings portrays a network of individuals who leveraged official roles to facilitate kickbacks, inflated salaries, and fictitious staffing to siphon resources away from legitimate educational programs. For observers, the case serves as a stark reminder of the vigilance required within public institutions to protect the integrity of budgets, grant programs, and hiring processes. As proceedings move forward, the court will continue to evaluate the evidence and determine appropriate legal outcomes for all parties involved, with the aim of upholding accountability and reinforcing public trust in the education sector.