The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation initiated a pre-investigation check which resulted in a criminal case initiated under the article "Fraud" of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Actions of resident of Novodvinsk, who had deceived a disabled person and took possession of his apartment, are being investigated.

In December last year a sister of the mentally disabled person addressed the High Commissioner. She said that a group of swindlers had forced her brother to exchange his apartment for smaller one and kept a price difference. Then one of swindlers fraudulently persuaded the disabled to sign a deed of gift to his apartment, while the other one entered into fictitious marriage with him, exchanged his apartment to a room without facilities, and then placed him in a psychiatric center.

The High Commissioner requested the Prosecutor’s Office of Arkhangelsk Region to check the allegations stated in the complaint. On 11 May this year, the Prosecutor’s Office replied that in September 2014 the gift deed had already been declared invalid, the right of the disabled to own the apartment had been restored. However, following the check, a criminal case was initiated against one of the participants of the fraudulent group. Information about illegal acts of the spouse of the disabled is being verified.