52-year-old Arkadzy from Hłusk fictitiously enrolled in a university in Smolensk. Left without a diploma, but with a criminal record
You didn't have to attend classes, but you had to hand over the bank card, where the scholarship was credited, to the right person.
In Russia, a 52-year-old citizen of Belarus, Arkadzy Akulich, was found guilty of giving a bribe. The resident of Hłusk was sentenced to a fine of approximately $2600.
In the summer of 2021, Akulich was approached by an old acquaintance — at that time, the pro-rector for scientific work and production at the Smolensk State Agricultural Academy. The men had met about ten years earlier when the acquaintance worked as a beer production technologist at the "Bakhus" company, and they occasionally called each other, including to discuss homebrewing.
The pro-rector offered Akulich to enroll in the specialty "Technology of production and processing of agricultural products." The Belarusian did not have higher education — only secondary specialized education. "Education is never superfluous," Akulich relayed his acquaintance's words during interrogation. According to the pro-rector, there was no need to attend classes, take exams, or pay for tuition.
Akulich took four 3x4 photos, brought his diploma, and went to the academy building, where he handed the documents to an employee to whom the pro-rector had directed him. She was an associate professor and deputy executive secretary of the admissions committee. She immediately stated the conditions: the student would hand over all accumulated scholarships and payments to her.
Akulich was provided with entrance exams — on August 17, 2021, by order of the rector, he was admitted to the first year of full-time study at the expense of the federal budget. He opened a Russian Sberbank card and handed it over, along with the PIN code, to the academy employee. When she lost the card in 2022, Akulich reissued a new one at her request and gave it back. Twice, he came to the academy when called and wrote applications for material assistance.
Over a year and a half, the academy credited him about $1060 — this included both scholarship and material assistance. The court considered all this money a bribe. Akulich never attended classes, credits, or exams — the same employee awarded him positive grades in the grade book.
During the interrogation, she explained why the academy needed such students. The institution had unclaimed state-funded places in "Agronomy," "Horticulture," "Zootechnics," and "Technology of production and processing of agricultural products," and the control figures for admission had to be met 100%. Since 2018, fictitious students were enrolled in these programs annually. The only thing they had to do themselves was to attend the state exam and diploma defense.
From the protocols of telephone conversations, it follows that in June 2021, Akulich clarified with the employee how to arrange a fictitious enrollment for his son as well, but something did not work out.
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