The head of the Mordovian colony, where the American Whelan, convicted of espionage, is arrested for a bribe

The head of the Mordovian colony No. 17, where Paul Whelan, a US citizen convicted of espionage (Article 276 of the Criminal Code) is serving his sentence, was taken into custody on a bribery case. This is reported by regional offices RF IC and FSIN.

The post of chief of IK-17 is occupied by Colonel of the Internal Service Vladimir Denisov. He is suspected under paragraph “b” of Part 5 of Art. 290 CC (extortion and bribe-taking). The official faces a sentence of imprisonment from seven to 12 years.

Denisov was detained in the village of Ozerny, Zubovo-Polyansky district of Mordovia. IK-17 is also located in the same settlement. According to investigators, in October Denisov received a mobile phone, a television set and a set of satellite television from the convict “for general patronage.” The devices were handed over to him through an acquaintance of this prisoner.

In November, the prosecutor’s office made a submission to the head of IK-17 because of a violation committed by a colony officer against Paul Whelan. The department said that an employee of IK-17, at the entrance to the administrative headquarters building, passing by an American, touched the convict’s shoulder with his right hand, “thereby showing arrogance and disdain.” A representative of the prosecutor’s office in a conversation with TASS clarified that “the officer touched the convict’s shoulder and said:” Why don’t you say hello. “

In early September Whelan said through his relatives that he was “hit while he was in the colony administration building.” The lawyer lodged a complaint with the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Federal Penitentiary Service. In the penitentiary department, what happened to the convict was called a “provocation.” The prosecutor’s office, which carried out a later check, did not identify any cases of violence or special equipment used against the American.

Whelan, who has British, US, Irish and Canadian citizenship, was detained in December 2018 on suspicion of espionage. Later, documents were found with him, which, according to the investigation, contain state secrets. Whelan pleaded not guilty. In June 2020, the Moscow City Court sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security colony.