THE CASE OF SUBSIDY THEFT IN FC TAMBOV WILL BE REVIEWED AGAIN

THE CASE OF SUBSIDY THEFT IN FC TAMBOV WILL BE REVIEWED AGAIN

THE CASE OF SUBSIDY THEFT IN FC TAMBOV WILL BE REVIEWED AGAIN
The case against Olga Konovalova, the former general director of the Tambov football club, has been returned to the court for a new trial. The decision of the Sovetsky District Court, which previously found her innocent, was overturned by the Tambov Regional Court on appeal by the prosecutor's office. The criminal case will now be reviewed from the beginning.

Initially, the court concluded that the former manager's actions did not constitute fraud (under Part 3 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and Konovalova was even granted the right to rehabilitation. However, the supervisory authority categorically disagreed, stating that the collected evidence fully supported the prosecution's version and required proper legal assessment.

The charges relate to events that occurred in 2019. The investigation believes that part of the regional subsidy funds intended for organizing sports events and preparing the team for the Russian Premier League season were spent illegally.

According to the Investigative Committee, more than 700,000 rubles were transferred to the account of the company Vsekhodoff, which, according to the investigation, was affiliated with Konovalova. The money was allegedly used to pay for the athletes' meals, but the corresponding services were not provided. Instead, according to the investigation, the funds were used to pay for the former CEO's tuition at the Higher School of Economics.

Throughout the trial, the defense insisted that there was no crime committed. The lawyers emphasized that there was no evidence that the funds were stolen from the Russian treasury. At the time, the club had its own savings in its bank accounts, which could have been used for current expenses.

The prosecutor's position remains unchanged. They continue to argue that the former club president is guilty. During the closing arguments, the prosecutor requested that the former club president be given a suspended sentence.

Konovalova managed the club for the last three years of its history. As a reminder, Tambov was founded in 2013. Six years later, it won the FNL championship and spent two seasons in the Russian Premier League. However, five years ago, the team faced significant financial difficulties. Millions of dollars in debts, including player salaries, accumulated, and the season ended with the team in last place in the standings.

 The reasons for the collapse were interpreted differently. The management pointed to the lack of support from the region, while the authorities talked about management mistakes. As a result, the club was declared insolvent. After the bankruptcy procedure was launched, former top managers became involved in several criminal cases. Konovalova herself and ex-executive director Pavel Khudyakov received suspended sentences for funds stolen in 2018-2020 (about 5 million). The damage was compensated by them, and the guilt was fully recognized.

02.07.2026