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Russian official charged with selling MiG jets for $5
RIA Novosti ^ | 3/27/2010 | RIA Novosti

Posted on 03/28/2010 8:02:44 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld

A former Russian state official has been charged with illegally selling MiG-31 Foxhound aircraft hulls at a price of 153 rubles ($5) each instead of $3.7 million in 2007, investigators said.

"In March 2010, while probing the criminal case on fraudulent activities performed at the time when four state-owned MiG-31 planes were sold, a former employee of [state reserves agency] Rosrezerv was charged with large-scale fraud," investigators said.

The criminal case was launched in summer 2009. The sale came to light after an anti-corruption check was carried out to see whether regulations were followed during the sale of items from the Sokol Aircraft Construction plant located in the Russian Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod.

The employee, who has not admitted his guilt, faces five to ten years in jail if found guilty.

According to prosecutors, in October 2006 - July 2007, unidentified officials from the local department of the Agency for State Reserves unlawfully included four MiG-31 hulls (without engines and weapons) into a list of sale items.

As a result, long-range supersonic interceptor aircraft that were not for sale were purchased by a dummy firm, Metalsnab, which was not entitled to trade in arms and military hardware.

The asking price of the MiG-31 hulls was significantly undervalued by a local valuation company.

According to the valuation report one hull was valued at 153 rubles ($5) - this initial price was accepted during bidding and the MiGs were sold at this price. However, one hull actually costs around 116 million rubles ($3.9 million at current rates).

(Excerpt) Read more at en.rian.ru ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: aerospace; corruption; mig; mig31; russia

1 posted on 03/28/2010 8:02:44 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
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To: sonofstrangelove

bttt


2 posted on 03/28/2010 8:06:19 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: ConservativeMan55

So WHO got the deal.. hmmm


3 posted on 03/28/2010 8:06:45 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: sonofstrangelove

The real mystery is if nukes or nuke components have taken the same route.


4 posted on 03/28/2010 8:14:57 PM PDT by James C. Bennett
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To: ConservativeMan55

Look for some dude on E-Bay selling MiG bits...


5 posted on 03/28/2010 8:16:15 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: James C. Bennett

I am sure. Especially the “suitcase nukes”,because some were unaccounted.


6 posted on 03/28/2010 8:16:31 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest caution."-Dr.Wernher Von Braun)
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To: sonofstrangelove

One of the good things about crack - it keeps the price of Mig hulls down.


7 posted on 03/28/2010 8:44:37 PM PDT by Slump Tester (What if I'm pregnant Teddy? Errr-ahh -Calm down Mary Jo, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it)
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To: sonofstrangelove

Probably charged with price gouging.


8 posted on 03/28/2010 8:48:13 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: sonofstrangelove

Gee. Any $50 BMPs around? How about a T-72? Be nice for a second car, albeit rough on ‘gas’...


9 posted on 03/28/2010 8:49:04 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: sonofstrangelove

lulz!


10 posted on 03/28/2010 8:56:41 PM PDT by cranked
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To: sonofstrangelove

Such a deal!


11 posted on 03/28/2010 9:29:47 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: count-your-change

That`s one hull of a bargain! I mig you not.


12 posted on 03/28/2010 9:50:14 PM PDT by bunkerhill7
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To: count-your-change

That`s one hull of a bargain! I mig you not.


13 posted on 03/28/2010 9:50:16 PM PDT by bunkerhill7
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To: bunkerhill7

It’s good to hear that in some places the dollar is still worth something! Toss in the engines and I’d pop for $10 at least.
$5. Drag that baby past the SubWay shop and tell’em to eat their hearts out.


14 posted on 03/28/2010 11:21:51 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: sonofstrangelove

An AK for the price of a stick of gum....


15 posted on 03/29/2010 9:06:32 AM PDT by GenXteacher (He that hath no stomach for this fight, let him depart!)
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