The whereabouts of Elena Khakhaleva, a former judge of the Krasnodar Regional Court who is on the international wanted list, have been established. According to her lawyer, Yaroslav Krasnoshchekov, she is in Tbilisi.
A new hearing has been scheduled for May 8 in the Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnodar on the Prosecutor General's Office's anti-corruption lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks to seize the property of Khakhaleva, her family, and associated individuals and place it under state ownership. The assets of the former judge, her husband, mother, sister, and 36 other individuals have been seized.
Elena Khakhaleva is charged with fraud and official forgery. Investigators believe that from 2016 to 2019, she missed 127 workdays while receiving a salary, resulting in an illegal income of approximately 1.2 million rubles. Her daughter's lavish wedding, a video of which leaked online, sparked a public outcry. According to some reports, the celebration cost $2 million and featured performances by stars including Nikolai Baskov, Vera Brezhneva, and Valery Meladze.
Khakhaleva's prosecution in Russia began with her arrest in absentia in 2022. Her attempted escape ended with her arrest in Azerbaijan in 2025. However, Russia's extradition request was denied, after which Khakhaleva fled the country.
