The Meshchansky District Court in Moscow has suspended criminal proceedings against 42-year-old Yuri Porokhov, the former chairman of commercial bank Agora, after he signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence to join the special military operation in Ukraine.
Russian daily newspaper Kommersant reported that Porokhov faces criminal charges of embezzling 25 million rubles and committing fraud involving 11.7 million rubles. The court in central Moscow agreed to freeze his trial following his military enlistment.
Porokhov has rejected the criminal allegations against him and did not admit guilt. He stated that he intends to use his military service pay to maintain and support his family.
The former banking executive is currently undergoing training at a military unit located in the Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine. Upon completing his instruction, he is scheduled to be deployed to the front lines as a private serving as a grenade launcher operator.
Alleged Financial Crimes
According to investigators, the alleged financial misconduct took place while Porokhov served as chairman of the board at KB Agora, a commercial banking institution based in Russia. Prosecution documents state that in April 2024, Porokhov executed a fictitious contract for software development intended for the bank.
Investigators also accuse Porokhov of signing four fictitious credit agreements using the names of front individuals. These bogus loan contracts were allegedly used as a mechanism to siphon funds directly out of the bank's accounts.
The suspension of Porokhov's case follows Russian legal procedures that allow individuals undergoing trial or criminal investigation to suspend court proceedings by enlisting in the armed forces. Under these provisions, proceedings are paused while the defendant serves under contract with the Ministry of Defence.
Criminal Defendants Enlisting for Service
Porokhov is among several figures in Russia facing trial who have chosen military deployment amid ongoing legal proceedings. It was previously reported that Alexei Ionov, the former deputy head of the Dmitrovsky district in the Moscow region, also departed to serve in the special military operation after being arrested on corruption charges.
Law enforcement authorities arrested Ionov over allegations of receiving a 4.35 million ruble bribe during his tenure in local government in Podmoskovye. Similar to the decision in Porokhov's case, Ionov's enlistment with the military led to a pause in his criminal prosecution.
