Russian MMA champ faces charges for alleged creation of organized crime group

Yaroslav Morev will stand trial along with five other fighters suspected of being a part of his criminal outfit.  Police officers in the Chelyabinsk region of the Russian Federation completed their investigation into a group of six su…

Yaroslav Morev will stand trial along with five other fighters suspected of being a part of his criminal outfit. 

Police officers in the Chelyabinsk region of the Russian Federation completed their investigation into a group of six suspected criminals accused of committing robberies against residents of Magnitogorsk.

According to reports, the primary suspect is Yaroslav Morev, an MMA fighter who won the All-Russian mixed martial arts tournament. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the news, adding that Morev is believed to have founded the criminal organization and later convinced his fellow martial arts colleagues to join. Three of the five fighters who joined the group were minors below the age of 18.

In November 2018, the group attacked and robbed five different residents in Magnitogorsk, including a woman. According to investigators, Morev and his associates started by committing the attacks at night but later started to use cars for quick escapes. During one of their last reported attacks, the criminals even wore masks to avoid detection.

Depending on the level of participation in the crimes, the detained suspects will be charged with robbery, armed robbery, and the commission of crimes involving minors.