Law enforcement authorities questioned the former deputy head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Pavel Baryshev, for several months before the criminal case began. This information comes from a law enforcement source cited by TASS, the state news agency.
“The lengthy review focused on whether the Baryshevs were legitimately receiving housing designated for those in need of better living conditions. Before the case was opened, they were interrogated repeatedly as part of an ongoing pre-investigation check,” the source explained to the agency.
On September 5, investigators opened a case against Baryshev on suspicion of large-scale fraud. Prosecutors allege that the official stole a three-room apartment in the Moscow region valued at no less than 20 million rubles by forging documents. They maintain that Baryshev prepared counterfeit paperwork indicating a right to provide housing from 2017 to 2019. The property has been placed under arrest pending further proceedings. (Source: TASS via law enforcement)
Putin removed Baryshev from his post in May 2021, ending his tenure as deputy head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, a position he held since February 2017. The official reasons for his dismissal were not publicly disclosed at the time. (Attribution: TASS via law enforcement)
Earlier reports noted that Baryshev earned 10.4 million rubles in 2019, a figure that has been cited in connection with questions about the management of housing programs and the circumstances surrounding the alleged scheme. (Source: TASS via law enforcement)