The former director of the Red Torch Theatre in Novosibirsk was given a five-year suspended sentence.
Also Alexandra Kulyabina fined 300 thousand rubles and banned him from engaging in activities related to organizing cultural and entertainment events for two years. Furthermore, the court upheld the Novosibirsk Region Ministry of Culture's claim for damages in the amount of 6,9 million rubles.
Previously, the prosecution had requested seven years in a penal colony and a million-ruble fine for Alexander Kulyabin. He was tried under articles on "abuse of power resulting in grave consequences" и "embezzlement using official position and on an especially large scale."
Alexander was dismissed as director of the Red Torch Theatre back in December 2022. He held the position for 23 years. His son is the theatre's chief director. Timofey Kulyabin - allegedly left the Red Torch "of one's own free will" left the country and spoke out against Russia's invasion of Ukrainian territory.
Alexander Kulyabin was arrested in January 2023. According to investigators, he allegedly illegally paid his son a salary supplement of 88 rubles per month as incentive payments from 2015 to 2019. Investigators calculated that Timofey was overpaid 5,2 million rubles during this period. Furthermore, the former director of the Red Torch Theater was charged with embezzling 1,7 million rubles and misappropriating a computer belonging to the theater.
Alexander considers the accusations to be politically motivated, categorically disagrees with them and believes that "his entire criminal case is fictitious".
