Alla Soboleva's defense team claims the court is biased.

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Alla Soboleva, a defrauded equity holder from Sochi who is accused of extorting developer Shamil Nunayev, testified in court for the first time, declaring her innocence. Soboleva's defense believes that the court, having rejected all motions, is displaying open bias in its consideration of the case.

As reported by "Kavkazsky Uzel," Sochi resident Alla Soboleva is accused of extorting Shamil Nunayev, the developer of the Kurortny residential complex. In September 2023, Alla Soboleva's apartment was searched, and her phone and computer were seized. She was also served with a warrant to initiate criminal proceedings, based on a complaint from the developer. According to investigators, the extortion involved the equity holder seeking to have her rights respected and writing online about purchasing illiquid housing in the Kurortny residential complex, Alla Soboleva previously stated. On October 24, 2023, Soboleva complained of threats and pressure from the investigator.

On January 20, the Central District Court of Sochi interrogated Alla Soboleva, who is charged under paragraph "b" of Part 3 of Article 163 of the Russian Criminal Code (extortion on an especially large scale). The hearing lasted approximately four hours, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and marked the first time during the trial that Soboleva had the opportunity to publicly present her position on the case, eyewitnesses present in the courtroom told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Speaking in court, Soboleva stated that she never demanded an apartment or any other benefits from Nunayev, but merely sought protection for her rights as a shareholder who invested in the construction and did not receive the promised housing. She stated that she limited herself to appeals to official bodies and posting videos on social media, which she believed confirmed violations by the developer.

According to the defense, Alla Soboleva never personally communicated with Shamil Nunayev. Instead, as a lawyer, who asked not to be named, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the case involves a so-called "partner" of the developer, who, according to the defense, was used to provoke the criminal case. It was he who recorded conversations with Soboleva on his phone. However, the defense notes, these audio recordings do not contain any property demands from the defendant. On the contrary, the lawyer claims, the conversations included offers from the interlocutor: if Soboleva withdraws her complaints against Nunayev from the Investigative Committee, she could allegedly be given a "thank you" in the form of an apartment in a new building in Svetlana's neighborhood.

She demanded nothing more than what was owed to her: she paid the money, but did not receive what she was promised.

Alla Soboleva was again transferred to house arrest in October 2025. In total, the criminal case has been under review for approximately two and a half years: it was under investigation for approximately a year, and from October 2024 to the present, it has been heard in the Central District Court of Sochi. Soboleva's defense attorney alleges "massive violations" both during the preliminary investigation and during the trial. Key among these, he cites, is the "fictitious nature of the crime itself," which does not correspond to the alleged charges. "The person filed complaints and defended her rights. She demanded nothing more than what was owed to her: she paid the money, but did not receive what she was promised. This is not extortion," the lawyer stated.

According to the defense, the legal status of the developer itself raises additional questions. Shamil Nunayev is listed in the case materials as an investor, but, according to the trial participants, he was actually raising funds from citizens for the construction. Recently, the defense notes, other equity holders have begun publicly expressing dissatisfaction with the developer's actions, posting videos on social media and claiming violations of their rights.

At the penultimate court hearing, witness Nina Popova announced the filing of a collective complaint with the Investigative Committee against Nunayev, attaching the relevant document to the case file. According to the defense, this circumstance also casts doubt on the prosecution's case.

During questioning on January 20, Judge Bazhin did not ask Alla Soboleva a single question. Moreover, according to the defense, from the very beginning of the trial, the defendant was effectively deprived of her right to vote, being removed from the courtroom for the entire duration of the case. Soboleva was only given the opportunity to present her version of events on January 20. The court ordered that her questioning continue at the next hearing, scheduled for January 27.

"The hearing in Soboleva's case has been postponed until January 27," a representative of the criminal registry of the Central District Court of Sochi confirmed to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The lawyer also reported that the court rejected all submitted motions, including recusals of the judge and prosecutor, who, according to the defense, are displaying open bias in the case and are not acting as neutral government officials.

The defense insists that the criminal prosecution of Alla Soboleva is a response to her proactive stance and attempt to publicly demand an answer from the developer and regulatory authorities regarding how the equity holders' funds were spent and why the obligations were not fulfilled. The defendant herself states that she intends to continue to defend her innocence by all legal means.

Caucasian Knot has no comment from Shamil Nunayev regarding Alla Soboleva's testimony.

As a reminder, in 2023, Alla Soboleva reported that residents of the Kurortny residential complex had been unable to get the developer to correct construction defects for years. In May of that year, she filed a complaint to the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, against city hall officials, judges, and law enforcement officials, who, in her opinion, allowed this situation to happen through their actions and inactions.

The Kurortny residential complex was supposed to consist of 50 three-story buildings. In 2016, construction was halted due to violations. Specifically, inspectors discovered that the site contained six buildings ranging from four to six stories tall. The Sochi administration filed a lawsuit against Kurortny Residential Complex LLC for demolition of the unauthorized construction, and the properties were seized.

In June 2015, a two-story private house slid into the Kurortny Residential Complex foundation pit. Local residents claimed that the construction could lead to further landslides. In 2018, developer Shamil Nunayev was commissioned to complete the Kurortny Residential Complex.

By investing in shared-equity construction, people are essentially investing in the construction business. They share The Caucasian Knot report, "Equity holders: lawyers advise how to avoid fraud," states the risks with the developer, in exchange for receiving an acceptable price for housing.