Moscow court puts former trade academy rector under house arrest in bribery case

Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky Court placed Sergei Sinelnikov-Murylev, a former rector of the Russian Foreign Trade Academy, under house arrest on October 14 in a case involving a charge of receiving a bribe on an especially large scale. Interfax cited the court's website as saying that the investigator's request for house arrest had been granted. Kommersant also reported the decision, citing the case record, while TASS reported the house arrest and bribery charge. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]

Earlier reports by RBC and Kommersant said law enforcement had detained the economist in Moscow and investigators were seeking house arrest. Kommersant reported that the Moscow branch of Russia's Investigative Committee was investigating the case under part six of article 290 of the criminal code. Interfax said the charge carries a prison sentence of eight to 15 years. It reported that, under house arrest, Sinelnikov-Murylev may not leave his residence without investigators' permission, communicate with anyone other than close relatives, or use the internet or any means of communication. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

Interfax identified Sinelnikov-Murylev as 66 and said he headed the academy from 2007 to 2024, continuing there as a chief researcher. It also reported that he has been a chief researcher at the Gaidar Institute since 2007. The reports agree that he received a suspended sentence in 2025 in a separate case involving embezzlement and abuse of office, but differ on its length. Kommersant reported a four-year suspended prison sentence; Interfax reported five and a half years and identified Moscow's Nikulinsky Court as the sentencing court. [ 2 , 3 ]