Vadim Belousov

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Vadim Belousov is a Russian politician and former deputy of the State Duma, serving in the 6th, 7th, and 8th convocations. He was born on October 2, 1960, in Chelyabinsk and studied at the Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute. Early in his career he worked as an engineer at the Chelyabinsk branch of the Research Institute of the Tractor Institute (1993–1995). In 1997 he joined the Makfa company board and, from 2004 to 2011, led Makfa Management Company LLC. He also served as a deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Chelyabinsk Oblast (2010–2011).

In December 2011 Belousov was elected to the 6th State Duma. He left United Russia in 2016 and later took a vacant mandate for the 7th State Duma. Since September 2021 he has been a deputy in the 8th State Duma, representing A Just Russia — For Truth.

Legal issues and imprisonment
In 2018 Belousov lost parliamentary immunity after prosecutors opened a criminal case accusing him of participating in a bribe scheme totaling about 3.25 billion rubles, described as the largest bribe case in Russia’s history. The investigation alleged that from 2010 to 2014 he, along with the Chelyabinsk Oblast governor Mikhail Yurevich, took bribes to secure tenders for road construction and maintenance without competitive bidding. His wife and mother-in-law were also involved. Belousov denied guilt.

On August 3, 2022, he was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He did not appear in court for the sentencing and is considered a fugitive from justice.

Parliamentary status and replacement
In November 2023 the State Duma prematurely terminated Belousov’s powers for absenteeism. His former Duma seat has remained vacant, with discussions about replacing him. The next in line on the party list, Olesya Redkina, faced an embezzlement investigation, and the Central Election Commission of Russia postponed a decision on filling the seat.

Prosecution and sanctions
In 2024 the Prosecutor General’s Office filed a lawsuit seeking to recover about 18.17 billion rubles and to transfer shares of Mishkinsky Produkt to the state, alleging the assets were obtained through corruption. Belousov’s side has called the lawsuit unlawful. He was also sanctioned by the UK in 2022 over the Russo-Ukrainian War.