Mamedali Agaev detained in Moscow

Former director of the Theater of Satire detained on suspicion of embezzling 20 million rubles from Moscow's budget

A high-profile detention in the theater world: officers from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and FSB detained Mamedali Agaev, the former director of the Moscow Academic Theater of Satire. He is suspected of major fraud involving budget funds amounting to more than 20 million rubles.

As reported by the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, on her Telegram channel, the operation was carried out through joint efforts of the Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow and employees of the FSB of Russia for Moscow and the Moscow Region.

According to the investigation, Agaev developed a sophisticated scheme for embezzling funds. After registering as an individual entrepreneur, he concluded fictitious copyright agreements with the theater he himself managed. According to these documents, the suspect allegedly created scripts for performances and transferred the rights to the theater. Based on falsified reports of completed work, he received 4% of box office collections from each performance.

"Several dozen performances were shown under this scheme. The amount of money stolen from the Moscow budget exceeded 20 million rubles," emphasized Irina Volk.

A criminal case has been initiated against Agaev under part 4 of article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud on an especially large scale). During searches at the suspect's residence, cash was seized, as well as items and documents of evidentiary value. Documentation was also seized from the theater.

The suspect has been taken to the Internal Affairs Directorate for the Central Administrative District of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow for investigative actions. The accounts of the detainee and his close relatives have been frozen.

Mamedali Agaev headed the Moscow Academic Theater of Satire for almost three decades - from 1992 to 2021, after which he left the post of his own accord. During his career, he was awarded several prestigious honors: the title of Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation (1995), Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (2018). In March 2020, he was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation.