Sergei Furgal
Sergei Furgal, born 1970, Moscow. Charges: Article 159 part 4, Russian Criminal Code (Fraud (committed by a group, on an especially large scale or with deprivation of the right to…); Article 159.1 part 4, Russian Criminal Code (Fraud in the area of provision of credit); Article 174.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Money laundering of illegally obtained funds as a result of committing a crime (on a large scale)); “The embezzlement case of Amurstal funds”, opened on January 1, 2021. Sentence (December 3, 2025): 23 years' imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony, with restriction of liberty for 1 year and 6 months' and a ban…; previously convicted under Article 105 part 2, Russian Criminal Code; Article 105 part 2 items zh, z applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code; Article 222 part 3, Russian Criminal Code. Status: imprisoned; place of detention: Pre-trial detention centre No. 2, Moscow. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, October 18, 2024; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted on political grounds, March 15, 2022.
In brief
Moscow, Moscow Oblast · Lyubertsy, Moscow · Officials
Sentence
23 years
imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony, with restriction of liberty for 1 year and 6 months' and a ban on holding public office for 2 years and 6 months', combined with a previous sentence of 25 years' imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony.
Upheld February 18, 2026
Other verdicts
- February 10, 2023 — 22 years' imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony
Charges
- Article 159 part 4, Russian Criminal Code — Fraud (committed by a group, on an especially large scale or with deprivation of the right to housing)
- Article 159.1 part 4, Russian Criminal Code — Fraud in the area of provision of credit
- Article 174.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Money laundering of illegally obtained funds as a result of committing a crime (on a large scale).
- Article 201 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Abuse of power resulting in grave consequences
- Article 210 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Creation of a criminal community (criminal organization) or participating in it with abuse of office
- Article 289 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Illegal participation in business activities
- Article 105 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Aggravated murder
- Article 105 part 2 items zh, z applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code
- Article 222 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Illicit trafficking in firearms or ammunition (by a group, using official positions or the Internet)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, from 2017 to 2018 in Moscow and Khabarovsk Krai, Furgal (at that time a member of the State Duma, and governor from 2018 until his arrest in 2020), illegally participated in the commercial activities of enterprises of the “Toreks Group” (a resident of the Khabarovsk Special Economic Zone, owner of the “Amurstal” plant), with the purpose of embezzling the assets of Russian Bank for Small and Medium Enterprise Support and committing other serious property crimes - and thereby creating a criminal organization.
Latest event
February 18, 2026 — appeal
The court issued a ruling.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, October 18, 2024
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Memorial Human Rights Centre, March 15, 2022
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 23 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 22 years
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Criminal case opened
The embezzlement case of Amurstal funds
· Persecution begins
The case of involvement in contract killings
Criminal case
The embezzlement case of Amurstal funds
The case of involvement in contract killings
- Case number
- 1-10/2023 (1-171/2022;)
Other defendants in the case
- Marat Kadyrov — Imprisoned, 9 years 6 months
- Andrey Karepov — Imprisoned, 21 years
- Andrei Paley — Imprisoned, 17 years
Thematic group: The case of involvement in contract killings
Write a letter
Facility: Pre-trial detention centre No. 2, Moscow
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
111020, г. Москва, Лефортовский вал, д. 5, ФКУ СИЗО-2 ГУФСИН России по г. Москве ("Лефортово"), Фургал Сергей Иванович, 1970 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he was involved in the scrap metal trade. In 2005, he became head of the Khabarovsk branch of the LDPR. In 2007, he became a deputy of the State Duma. In September 2018, he won the gubernatorial election in Khabarovsk Krai in a protest vote, beating the incumbent regional head, Vyacheslav Shport, by more than 40 percentage points, despite running almost no campaign. During his short tenure as governor, Furgal took a number of steps aimed at curbing officials' privileges: he cut his own salary, refused to use state-owned luxury goods, reduced staff numbers and travel expenses and cut pension supplements for officials and deputies. In addition, the governor submitted a bill to the regional legislature to restore the direct election of district heads - the law was adopted. Under him, the regional parliament also passed laws limiting the powers of the governor. On July 9, 2020, Furgal was detained and taken to Moscow, where the next day a court ordered his pretrial detention in a case concerning the organization of murders and attempted murders committed in 2004. On July 20, President Putin removed him from office due to a loss of trust. In November 2021, Furgal was charged in a new case - the embezzlement of funds from the Amurstal plant. On 10 February 2023, Furgal was sentenced to 22 years in a strict regime penal colony. On 3 December 2025, Furgal was sentenced to 25 years in the embezzlement case, taking into account the previous sentence.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 105 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.