Dolina’s Apartment: Scam Investigation Closed, Buyer Receives Keys
Pop singer Larisa dolina was forced to vacate her former Moscow apartment under court orders, ending a months-long standoff surrounding the “scam” sale of the property that rattled Russia’s housing market.
“The keys have been handed over to us. Everyone has been removed from the residency registry,” Svetlana Sviridenko,a lawyer representing buyer Polina Lurye,told the Interfax news agency.
Lurye, a 34-year-old entrepreneur, bought the five-room apartment in Moscow’s prestigious Khamovniki district from Dolina in 2024.It was later discovered that the 70-year-old singer had been deceived into selling her apartment by fraudsters posing as FSB agents.
However, the scammers were also in contact with lurye, who, unaware of the fraud scheme, paid them 112 million rubles ($1.4 million) for Donlina’s apartment.
A subsequent court battle between Lurye and Dolina over who rightfully held ownership of the Moscow apartment captured headlines in Russia for months, with three courts initially ruling in favor of Dolina.
The rulings allowing dolina to keep her apartment set a precedent, dubbed the “Dolina effect,” in which there was a risk that property sellers could walk away from deals with both the money for the sale and the property itself. Court cases over such incidents have increased by up to 20% over the last year.
but in December, the Russian Supreme Court ruled that Lurye was the apartment’s rightful owner, which was seen as a rare win for those without Kremlin connections i
Pop singer Larisa Dolina has been evicted from her Moscow apartment following a protracted legal battle stemming from a fraudulent sale, marking the end of a case that exposed vulnerabilities in Russia’s housing market. Svetlana Sviridenko, the lawyer representing buyer Polina Lurye, confirmed that the keys had been transferred and Dolina removed from the residency registry.
The dispute arose when Lurye, a 34-year-old entrepreneur, purchased the apartment in Moscow’s Khamovniki district from Dolina in 2024. It was afterward revealed that Dolina had been defrauded by individuals posing as FSB agents. These same scammers were also involved in the transaction with Lurye, who paid them 112 million rubles ($1.4 million) for the property, unaware of the scheme.
Initial court rulings favored Dolina, establishing a precedent – dubbed the ”Dolina effect” – that raised concerns about sellers perhaps retaining both the proceeds and the property from sales. Court cases related to similar incidents saw a 20% increase in the past year. However, the Russian Supreme Court overturned these decisions in December, ruling in favor of Lurye, a rare outcome for someone without Kremlin ties within the Russian judicial system.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, an eviction request was submitted on Lurye’s behalf after Dolina missed the deadline to vacate the apartment, reportedly while on vacation in the United Arab Emirates. Four individuals involved in orchestrating the scam - three men and one woman – have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to seven years. The case underscores the risks within Russia’s property market and the challenges faced by those seeking legal recourse against fraudulent activity.