Former Russian judge Elena Khakhaleva, who gained notoriety following a scandal over a lavish wedding and was subsequently dubbed the “Golden Judge,” is currently residing in Tbilisi, her lawyer Yaroslav Krasnoshchekov reports.
He stated that investigative authorities are aware of the location of the former judge, who has been placed on an international wanted list.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation (Genprokuratura) has filed a lawsuit seeking the forfeiture of assets belonging to Khakhaleva and her relatives to the state. According to the agency, the family illegally obtained large plots of land, one of which is valued at 20 billion rubles.
The prosecution is seeking the confiscation of Khakhaleva’s house near Krasnodar, her sister’s apartment, and their mother’s house and land plot in the resort village of Olginka. Additionally, assets belonging to the former judge’s husband, Robert Khakhalev—including real estate and land plots in the Kuban region—may be subject to seizure. It is alleged that some of the property was moved abroad.
As part of the lawsuit, the court has already frozen the assets of the family and affiliated entities. The restrictive measures have affected 15 companies, including agricultural firms and the Lazarevskoye health resort.
Elena Khakhaleva was charged with fraud in 2021, after which she left Russia. Meanwhile, her sister, Natalya Khakhaleva, continues to serve as a judge at the Arbitration Court of the Krasnodar Krai. It is also reported that they enjoyed the patronage of Viktor Momotov, the former head of the Council of Judges of Russia.
