Former Russian Army commander Ivan Popov loses $330k in casino, faces fraud charges
Ivan Popov, former commander of Russia's 58th Army, has reportedly lost more than $330,000 gambling in casinos, according to Russian media.
In a twist to the investigation against him, it was revealed through the examination of his mobile phone that he had lost approximately 30 million roubles on the betting platform Winline. Investigators suggest that these might have been illicitly acquired funds.
Popov is currently detained in a pre-trial detention centre, facing allegations of large-scale fraud. The details of his gambling losses were disclosed in a report by the Russian publication Kommersant.
During a search of Popov’s house, the FSB and investigators did not find any incriminating evidence. However, his mobile phone revealed his substantial losses on Winline, leading investigators to suspect these funds might be linked to fraudulent activities.
The case took another turn when journalists discovered that the original suspect was another general who perished in the Ukraine conflict. Sources from Kommersant assert that this general, awarded the title of "Hero of Russia" posthumously, became a focal point before Popov was implicated in the case. Allegedly, the deceased general transferred 500,000 roubles ($5580) to Popov's account derived from metal sales, making him a key figure in the investigation.
On 23 May, Russia detained Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin, following a search and a subsequent interrogation by the Military Investigative Department’s main office.
Additionally, on 14 May, representatives from the FSB’s military counterintelligence department detained Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the Russian Ministry of Defence’s Main Directorate for Personnel.