Russian police are continuing to crack down on illegal casinos, with a self-improvement guru the latest to face charges for operating a clandestine betting den.
Police raided the den, located in the center of the city of Perm, and arrested nine people, the Russian media outlet Pro Perm reported. Among the arrestees was Mushfig Akhundov, the suspected mastermind who created the illegal betting venue.
A court in the city has ordered the man’s detention in pretrial custody until May 19.
The Sverdlovsk District Court Judge Yana Abadzheva approved a police request to hold Akhundov on charges of “illegally organizing and conducting gambling as part of an organized group.”
Russian Police: Casino Crackdown
Police conducted simultaneous raids on the casino, named “Penthouse,” as well as all of the suspects’ residences.
The local branches of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Investigative Committee, along with members of the Russian National Guard, took part in the raids.
Detectives said they confiscated cash worth 2.5 million rubles or $31,000 at the addresses. They suspect the cash was all obtained from “criminal activities,” a spokesperson said.
Akhundov, who goes by the social media handle Misha, is active in the self-improvement space. He appeared on the hit Russian reality TV show “Success in Everything” in 2021.
He is also active in the world of sport and served as a judge in major wrestling tournaments.
A police spokesperson said the court had released the remaining suspects on bail.
Officers say the gambling den opened late last year and continued operating until officers raided it earlier this month.
The raid comes hot on the heels of a high-profile trial in Perm, where prosecutors have accused 17 individuals of operating four illegal casinos.
The casinos opened in September 2022, with police conducting their raids in December 2024.
In simultaneous raids on all four venues, detectives seized dozens of computer terminals, cell phones, and over $12,900 in cash.
Government’s Controversial Plan
Elsewhere in the country, controversy continues to build over reports that the government is poised to legalize online casinos.
A leading politician is the latest to hit out at the plan — the brainchild of the Ministry of Finance.
“I don’t think this plan is beneficial for Russia,” the State Duma lawmaker Yevgeny Marchenko told the Russian media outlet NSN. “We once spent a lot of effort closing casinos across the country. Now, it seems, we’re going back on that.”
“Russia already has gambling zones that can accommodate land-based casinos,” Marchenko added. “I think that should be more than enough.”
