Investigation of Operation “Midas”: New Details on Corruption Suspicions
Detective of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Ruslan Magamedrasulov, confirmed the probable connections of the figures involved in Operation “Midas” with the Ministry of Defense, stating there are certain signs of their involvement in corrupt schemes.
In an interview with the public organization Center for Anti-Corruption, Magamedrasulov emphasized that the initial goal of Operation “Midas” was to document large-scale corruption in the Ministry of Defense. He hinted that there are signs of the involvement of case figures. Efforts to trace and prove the illegal schemes were made even before his recent release from the detention center, where he was held for five months. Nonetheless, the detective expressed confidence that if there is evidence, it will be properly implemented.
Earlier, a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office suggested that one of the figures in the operation, Timur Mindich, influenced high-ranking officials, in particular, Rustem Umerov when he was the Minister of Defense. Umerov rejected these claims, emphasizing that he is involved in the case as a witness.
Additionally, NABU director Semen Krivonos confirmed Ruslan Magamedrasulov’s involvement in organizing the wiretapping of Mindich’s apartment. At the same time, an investigation is underway regarding the detective and his father on suspicions of cooperating with the aggressor state, as well as in other illegal actions. Both of them, along with another NABU employee, received suspicions in July, but after a public outcry and pressure from international partners, they were released in December.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July | Receiving suspicions by Magamedrasulov and Gusarov |
| September | New suspicion of financial machinations |
| December | Release from custody |
