Anna Hartz
Bribery Scandal Sends Russian Cop to Prison
For years, many Russians have suspected deep corruption within the country’s institutions.
But every so often, a case comes along that still manages to shock people. The story of Alexei Safonov is one of them.
From 2012 to 2021, Safonov was the head of the traffic police in Russia’s Stavropol region, reports Tag24.
During that time, he quietly built himself a life of extreme luxury. He lived in a mansion with gold-covered toilets, giant crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and grand columns.
The estate looked more like something out of a royal palace than a government employee’s home.
But that was just the beginning. Investigators say he owned 21 different properties, six luxury cars, and a stash of expensive watches.
Most of the assets were in the names of his wife, children, and even a mistress. His official salary over more than a decade added up to only about 100,000 euros.
When questioned, he couldn’t explain where the money had come from.
In 2021, everything unraveled. Authorities discovered that Safonov was running what they called the “Safonov system.”
According to prosecutors, his officers took monthly bribes from truck drivers. For about 100 euros, the drivers would get a special sticker.
That sticker meant they would be left alone at checkpoints. No sticker? They’d get stopped and harassed more often.
Officers who collected the cash were expected to give Safonov a cut. If they didn’t, they were punished or fired. This went on for years.
The case dragged on in court. A key witness died under suspicious circumstances, and the trial was delayed 40 times. Finally, in April 2025, it reached an end.
Safonov denied everything and asked to be cleared. The judge didn’t buy it. He was sentenced to 20 years in a maximum-security prison.
Many Russians are left asking how something like this could go on for so long without being stopped.