Magomed Gadzhiev sought foreign citizenship in exchange for sensitive data, the prosecutors office says

A former Russian MP was paid $45 million from the US government after transferring secret information to the West, Russia's General Prosecutor's Office has said.

In a statement on Wednesday cited by several Russian media outlets, the office said that Magomed Gadzhiev, who fled Russia in 2023 after the start of the Ukraine conflict, "expressed readiness to cooperate with Western intelligence services in exchange for foreign citizenship" of an unspecified country.

It noted that the ex-MP received "at least $45 million" from unnamed American government agencies, adding that this was allegedly revealed by the US Department of Government Efficiency, formerly led by Elon Musk. The prosecutors, however, did not specify what information Gadzhiev had passed to the West.

A court in the southern Russian region of Dagestan is seeking to designate Gadzhiev and members of his family "extremists" and nationalize his business enterprises and confiscate assets. Russian authorities have also accused him of publicly supporting Kiev and "discrediting" Russia's armed forces, saying he declared abroad that he was ready to assist Ukraine's backers.

Details of the case have not been disclosed, including any potential penalties if the suspects are detained in Russia.

In May 2023, the Justice Ministry designated Gadzhiev - who has also been expelled from the ruling United Russia party - a foreign agent, and a year later, he was put on a wanted list. Sergey Melikov, the head of Dagestan, called him a "coward and a traitor," adding that the ex-MP was ready to "throw mud" at what was "dear" to his compatriots in exchange for an EU passport.

Gadzhiev served in Russia's tax authorities in senior roles before entering parliament and was a State Duma deputy from 2003 to 2021. Several Western media outlets claimed that despite his exile, the ex-MP "has managed to continue his luxurious lifestyle, with properties in both France and Miami."

(RT.com)