The head of the Mormon Church in Vyborg was detained for donations to the FBK.

In Vyborg, security forces detained the leader of a local Mormon community on charges of financing an "extremist organization." The criminal case stemmed from monetary donations to the FBK organization.

Community searches and possible charges

According to the SOVA Research Center, the head of the local branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has become a suspect in a case of financing extremist activity. Specifically, this may be Valentin Gavrilov, who is officially listed as the chairman of the religious organization's branch in Vyborg.

Local Telegram channels report that security forces have already conducted searches of the detainee's home and the church building itself. The exact amount of the donations that prompted the criminal case remains unknown. Ultimately, the man faces up to eight years in prison.

Furthermore, the Telegram channel "Baza" adds that the head of the community is currently being further investigated for possible "cooperation with representatives of foreign intelligence agencies."

A wave of prosecutions and similar cases for donations

Consequently, this case became part of a new wave of criminal cases for past donations to opposition groups. For example, this same week in Tomsk, well-known radio host Alexander Lunev was arrested under a similar charge of financing extremism. The basis for his criminal prosecution were seven transfers of 1000 rubles each.

Even earlier, Elena Perepelitsa, a member of the Moscow branch of the Yabloko party, was sent to pretrial detention on charges of donating to the FBK. However, the exact amount of donations at issue in her case has not yet been officially disclosed.