The head of Krymsk has been detained on charges of abuse of power.

Krymsk Mayor Yanis Budagov has been charged with abuse of power in transferring a land plot to a local resident.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on October 11, security forces detained Sergei Les, head of the Krymsk district. He is charged under Part 3 of Article 33 and Part 3 of Article 285 of the Russian Criminal Code. According to investigators, from January to March 2024, Les instructed a subordinate to enter into land purchase and sale agreements with a specific individual on preferential terms, without a bidding process, at a price "significantly below market value." On November 25, Les's arrest was extended by a month.

The head of Krymsk is accused of abuse of power (Clause "c" of Part 3 of Article 286 of the Russian Criminal Code), the Investigative Committee for Krasnodar Krai reported today on its Telegram channel.

According to investigators, in March 2020, the mayor's office entered into a lease agreement with a local resident for an agricultural plot of land measuring over 31.4 hectares. That same year, amendments were made to the Krymsk general plan, changing the permitted use of this plot to individual housing construction.

"In March 2023, the tenant applied to the administration for the aforementioned plot of land to be transferred to him for a fee without a tender, stating that the land was used for agricultural purposes. The head of the urban settlement, aware that the land category had been changed and that he was obliged to refuse the transfer of ownership without a tender, entered into a purchase and sale agreement with the man, according to which the plot of land was sold for 5.2 million rubles, while its market value was at least 99 million rubles. Subsequently, a short time later, the man registered his ownership of the plot and two weeks later sold it to a representative of the developer for 150 million rubles," the investigative version is cited in the publication.

The official was detained by an investigator from the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. "He has been charged accordingly. Investigators intend to petition for the defendant's detention," the agency reported.

The publication does not specify whether investigators believe the mayor of Krymsk is the official who, on behalf of Sergei Les, sold land on preferential terms without a bid and at a reduced price.

The detainee is 48-year-old Krymsk mayor Yanis Budagov. He is a native of the village of Kievsky in the Krymsk district. He served as deputy head of the village administration since 2006, and became head of the village administration in 2009. In 2017, Budagov became mayor of Krymsk and was re-elected in 2022, according to 93.ru.