A criminal case was opened against the employees of the Moscow State Pedagogical University of accepting bribes with bitcoins for dissertations

The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against the head of the department and two teachers of the Moscow Pedagogical State University (MPGU) for accepting bribes in bitcoins. About it writes RBC with reference to sources in the department.

The defendants in the case under articles on giving and receiving bribes (part 5 of article 290, part 3 of article 291.1 of the Criminal Code) were the head of the department of social pedagogy and psychology of the university Elena Levanova, senior lecturer of the same department Ksenia Pleshakova and scientific secretary of the dissertation council of the Moscow State Pedagogical University Vladimir Pleshakov … The interlocutor in the Investigative Committee clarified that Levanova is also suspected of fraud (Article 159 of the Criminal Code) – she faces up to ten years in prison.

According to the investigation, the head of the department received 384 thousand rubles from an applicant for a scientific degree. Levanova’s money was transferred through intermediaries. For this amount, the chairman of the dissertation council was supposed to help the girl in admission to defend her dissertation and to facilitate the adoption of a positive decision by the council members.

During the defense of her dissertation, the applicant had the opportunity to answer questions that she herself had prepared in advance, and during the break she was allowed to prepare for answers to questions from the council that she did not know, the source of the publication emphasized.

Levanova was also suspected that last year she received another 50 thousand rubles from the girl and had to transfer this money to the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the award of an academic degree. At the same time, the head of the department was not going to transfer money, RBC notes.

In December Baza wrotethat teachers of the Moscow State Pedagogical University took bribes in cryptocurrency, receiving them in bitcoins for wallets. In addition, according to the newspaper, during searches of Levanova’s house, cash was found in cash, packaged in envelopes that were intended for other participants in the scheme. Then Levanova was charged with one episode – a bribe of 156 thousand rubles, which she received for a positive assessment of the dissertation.