Sergey Furgal pleaded not guilty to murder

Speaking at a visiting session of the Lyubertsy City Court in the Moscow Regional Court, Furgal appealed to the jury to find him innocent. He is charged with organizing and attempting to murder entrepreneurs in the early 2000s. He stressed that it was important for him to "wash his name".

"Business, if it is not criminal, has never been solved by murder. What's the use, if you kill one, another will come in his place. I have never solved issues like this", - Furgal is quoted as saying by TASS.

The ex-head of the region said that the criminal case against him was initiated illegally. He added that his good name is "more precious to him than any money", and the most important thing is to be cleared of charges, Kommersant writes.

The investigation believes that when Furgal was not a governor and was engaged in business, he allegedly ordered the murder of three people who interfered with him, but Furgal denies all charges.

In 2018, Furgal, nominated from the Liberal Democratic Party, won the gubernatorial election by a large margin from a United Russia candidate.

However, in July 2020, Sergey Furgal, accused of fraud and organizing a criminal community, was arrested. His arrest provoked mass protests in the region. After Furgal's dismissal from office, his place was taken by his fellow party member Mikhail Degtyaryov, whose coming to power was perceived by many residents with hostility. Shortly after his appointment, Degtyaryov decided to increase the staff of his guards.