Suppliers of Prigozhin’s company received suspended sentences for poisoning children with cottage cheese

According to investigators, 122 children and 7 adults suffered from their actions

The verdict against the director of the Chaplyginmoloko company, Konstantin Fetisov, and the head of the company’s production laboratory, Nina Tatarinova, accused of poisoning Moscow kindergarteners and their teachers with cottage cheese, was handed down by the Kuzminsky District Court of the capital. The Concord food processing plant, owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, was also indirectly involved in this story.

Let us remind you that the emergency occurred in December 2018. As the investigation established, 122 children and 7 kindergarten employees suffered intestinal diseases, including those that caused serious harm to health. They all ate cottage cheese products delivered to Moscow from the city of Chaplygin, Lipetsk Region, from the Chaplyginmoloko enterprise. The 33 thousand packs of cottage cheese produced there were sold to the Rokal company, which, in turn, resold them to Concord, which supplied food to kindergartens and schools. But it was Chaplyginmoloko that was found guilty.

In September 2021, the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia announced the completion of the investigation against Fetisov and Tatarnikova. In January 2022, the case went to trial. The leaders of Chaplyginmolok were accused of producing, storing, transporting and selling products that do not meet the requirements for the safety of life and health of consumers, resulting in negligence in causing grievous harm to health. The indictment also stated that all these acts were carried out by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, using an official document certifying the product’s compliance with safety requirements. In addition, special attention was paid to the fact that the products were intended for children under the age of six.

The verdict against the director and head of Chaplyginmolok was announced on September 18. Fetisov received a 2.5 year suspended sentence and a 100 thousand ruble fine, Tatarinov received a 2 year suspended sentence and 50 thousand. Both were given a probationary period of 2.5 years and a ban on engaging in activities related to food products for 2 years. However, the verdict has already been appealed.