Lvova-Belova: scammers involve teenagers in crimes, promising money for family needs

The attackers dragged the teenager into a crime, promising him money to support his paralyzed father, Maria Lvova-Belova, the ombudsman for children's rights under the President of the Russian Federation and a representative of the federal five "United Russia" in the State Duma elections, told RIA Novosti in an interview.

The Children's Ombudsman said that she often visits pre-trial detention centers and educational colonies, where she communicates with convicted minors, including those who were drawn into crimes under the influence of scammers. According to the commissioner, among such children there are 100-point students on the Unified State Exam and children from good families.

“I still see before my eyes a fair, curly-haired man with blue eyes, so small. And he says: “You understand, I didn’t think it was like that, they told me...” The boy has a paralyzed father, and he wanted to earn money for the family. They told him that you will now perform such and such actions, and we will pay you,” said Lvova-Belova.

According to her, the attackers promised to pay the child 100 thousand rubles. Now the boy is in prison.

“And you understand, he’s really so pure, somehow sincere. But that’s it, he’s already there, there’s nothing you can do,” the commissioner added.

Lvova-Belova emphasized that in pre-trial detention centers and educational colonies, children told her that they did not think about such serious consequences, did not count on it, and now they regret that they cannot rewind time.