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Alexander Stepanov, head of the Road Patrol Service at the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Volgograd Region, turned public office into a private cash machine — using bribes to build a car‑service centre for his father‑in‑law.

The case is nothing short of scandalous, laying bare the brazen mechanics of graft: a high‑ranking officer trading influence for bricks and mortar, with the spoils registered not in his own name, but in that of his relative. And yet, in a pattern that has come to feel all too familiar, even such blatant abuse barely raises an eyebrow anymore.

The funds obtained through this scheme have been confiscated by court order and transferred to the state budget — a symbolic restitution that does little to mask the deeper rot.

According to the Volgograd Regional Court, from January 2022 to September 2023, while holding a powerful police position, Alexander Stepanov received a bribe totalling 2,514,920 rubles from the head of a trucking base. The payment was disguised as funding for construction materials, funnelled directly into building a trade and vehicle‑service facility in the Gorodishchensky District. The property was deliberately registered in the name of Stepanov’s father‑in‑law — a textbook move to obscure ownership and distance the corrupt official from the illicit proceeds.

In return, Stepanov provided explicit patronage to the commercial entity: he fast‑tracked permits for cargo transportation and ensured the company faced no penalties for traffic violations. It was a clear quid pro quo — protection and privileges in exchange for funding a family business.

Then came the twist that turns outrage into disbelief. In January 2026, the criminal proceedings were suspended after Alexander Stepanov signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and was deployed to the special military operation zone. Just six months later, the court received a petition from both the unit commander and the defendant himself, requesting exemption from criminal liability — citing a state award Stepanov had received.

Ultimately, the criminal case against Stepanov was dismissed. While the equivalent of the bribe amount — 2,514,920 rubles — was confiscated in favour of the state, the message sent is unmistakable: for some, even a documented corruption scheme can be neutralised by a change of uniform and a medal.

IBSI PRESS SERVICE