The Investigative Committee has launched an investigation into Ivan Sukhov, a polygamist, following accusations of sexual assault and attempted suffocation made by his 19-year-old daughter, Anna. The allegations surfaced during an appearance on the talk show “Let Them Talk.”

Sukhov’s lawyer, Alexander Pochuev, stated that his client has been at the police station for several hours and dismissed Anna’s claims as “slander and libel,” suggesting they were fueled by the talk show’s producers seeking to capitalize on Sukhov’s notoriety. Pochuev claims the defense has evidence to prove the slander. He says the host of “Let Them Talk” pulled words out of Anna, spoke for her, and asked leading questions, actually formulating the accusation itself. A statement about slander against Ivan Sukhov has been filed. Sukhov appeared at the Investigative Committee department without a lawyer, because “he believes that the truth is on his side and he is not afraid of anything.”

The accusations stem from an episode of “Let Them Talk” where Anna claimed her father sexually abused her for the first time when she was 14 years old during a vacation intended as re-education after her mother suspected her of smoking. She stated Sukhov “forced her to touch him” and later told her she wouldn’t make a worthy wife unless she knew “how to do everything right.” Anna also accused Sukhov of attempting to suffocate her with a bag and claimed he asserted she suffered from schizophrenia and paranoid disorder.

Sukhov, who has publicly stated he has 12 wives and 30 children and aims to have 50, has denied the allegations, calling them fabricated and accusing the show of bribing a “sick and weak” relative.

A lie detector test reportedly indicated that Anna was telling the truth, with a profiler and polygraph examiner stating that her account included elements covered by Article 135 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Indecent acts”). If found guilty under this article, Sukhov could face up to three years of imprisonment, considering Anna was 14 at the time of the alleged crime. Previously, a deputy proposed to check polygamist Sukhov for mental abnormalities.