A female judge has been discovered dead after falling from a high-rise in Moscow, the latest mysterious death in Russia.
Natalia Larina, 50, was well-known for presiding over high-profile political and criminal cases, particularly those involving Kremlin traitors.
According to state media, Larina left a suicide note and fell from a high-rise window near her home. It is alleged that Larina fell victim to telephone scammers last month and was distraught after losing a large sum of money.
Larina had served as a criminal judge for over 15 years before unexpectedly resigning from Tagansky Court earlier this year. She had gained a reputation for adjudicating cases against opposition political activists.
In 2015, Larina presided over the case of Pyotr Pavlensky, who was accused of vandalism for setting fire to the door of the FSB building. She also sentenced Murat Sabanov, responsible for a series of poisonings in central Moscow in 2019. In 2011, Larina was the judge in the trial of a Russian Transport Ministry official convicted of sexually abusing his daughter.
The scammers reportedly posed as Larina’s former boss and convinced her that her bank account was compromised, persuading her to transfer 1 million rubles to a “safe account.” Larina subsequently took out a bank loan to transfer an additional million rubles. She reported the incident to the police once she realized she had been deceived.
According to Baza, Larina became distressed after falling victim to the scammers, which ultimately led to her tragic death. However, this version of events has not been officially confirmed.
Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death, which occurred near her apartment on 1st Mashinostroeniya Street in Moscow.
