A former cybercrime officer in Novosibirsk is under investigation for abuse of power after attempting to help an acquaintance resolve a dispute with his ex-girlfriend. Savely Domanov, who once received an award from the Minister of Internal Affairs for his work combating online pedophilia, now faces charges that could derail his career. The case has already been rejected multiple times by prosecutors, raising questions about its validity.

The investigation began after Domanov’s acquaintance, Sergey G., complained about his ex-girlfriend’s behavior towards his daughter. Sergey claimed that the woman was influencing his daughter negatively, prompting Domanov to offer assistance. As a police officer, Domanov suggested filing a formal complaint and offered to check the woman’s information in police databases.

Domanov contacted the woman, inviting her to provide explanations, but she requested a subpoena and then ceased communication. Shortly after, Domanov found himself under investigation by the Internal Security Directorate, accused of illegally collecting information and receiving money from Sergey. This led to a criminal case being opened against him for violation of privacy.

Domanov denied the charges and filed a complaint, which only resulted in further escalation. A second case was opened against him for abuse of power, alleging that his actions disrupted the work of an entire department. This culminated in searches of both Domanov’s and Sergey’s residences.

In January 2025, Domanov was dismissed from his position. The woman involved, Nadezhda, claims she was the victim of an “inadequate and sick” ex-lover and viewed Domanov’s contact as another attempt by him to harass her, leading her to file a complaint. She also states that Domanov was the one who ceased communication, not the other way around.

The case against Domanov has been sent to the prosecutor’s office three times for indictment approval, but each time it has been returned for further investigation. Despite the indictment being approved by the prosecutor of the Central District of Novosibirsk, it was challenged by the deputy prosecutor of the Novosibirsk region. If investigators are unsuccessful in their next attempt, the charges may be dropped, potentially allowing Domanov to seek reinstatement in his former role.