Russia's Serebrennikov Saved State Money Spending Only $3.2Mln On Platforma Project-Lawyer

Dmitry Kharitonov, the lawyer of Russian film and theater director Kirill Serebrennikov, who is under investigation for allegedly embezzling state funds, said on Friday that experts established that only 216 million rubles ($3.2 million) were spent on the Platforma theater project, while its cost amounts to 260 million rubles, which means that Serebrennikov did not steal money but saved it

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2019) Dmitry Kharitonov, the lawyer of Russian film and theater director Kirill Serebrennikov, who is under investigation for allegedly embezzling state funds, said on Friday that experts established that only 216 million rubles ($3.2 million) were spent on the Platforma theater project, while its cost amounts to 260 million rubles, which means that Serebrennikov did not steal money but saved it.

Investigators suspect Serebrennikov, the artistic director of Moscow Gogol Center Theater, and other individuals to be involved in embezzling money allocated by the country for the development and popularization of modern art in Russia as part of the Platforma theater project in 2011-2014.

"Experts have established that Serebrennikov has spent on the project 216 million rubles, while its market cost is estimated at 260 million rubles excluding tax. Thus, experts have established that Serebrennikov did not steal money from the country but saved money for the country instead," Kharitonov said.