Both suspects are currently wanted.
Former top managers of PJSC Gazprom and its subsidiaries have become subjects of a criminal case regarding the embezzlement of 8 billion rubles (approximately 88 million euros) during the construction of the Rhythmic Gymnastics Center in Sochi, also known as Alina Kabaeva's "Heavenly Grace" academy. This was reported by the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Irina Volk, on her Telegram channel, with details provided by Kommersant.
A total of 13 individuals are involved in the case. The investigation considers former Gazprom board member Elena Mikhaylova and former deputy general director of Gazprom Investgasification Anatoly Yerkulov as the organizers of the crime. They are accused of orchestrating fraud through the company GRSP "Magnit", the largest contractor for Gazprom. Both suspects are currently wanted. It is known that Mikhaylova has already been placed under arrest in absentia, while Yerkulov left Russia before the investigation began.
According to law enforcement, from 2016 to 2019, the participants in the scheme, creating the appearance of work being done at the site in Sochi, embezzled over 8 billion rubles allocated by Gazprom Investgasification for the construction of the complex as part of the social project "Gazprom — for Children". Of this amount, 1.5 billion rubles have already been realized by the suspects. The actual costs amounted to about 2 billion rubles. The investigation is ongoing.
It is worth noting that Alina Kabaeva's academy "Heavenly Grace" opened in Sochi at the end of 2022. The Olympic champion often attends the training sessions of her students in various outfits. At one of these sessions, Kabaeva stated that rhythmic gymnastics as a sport is "slowly dying."
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