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Russian national from Raleigh pleads guilty to bribery, fraud, other charges

Friday, July 9, 2021

Russian national from Raleigh pleads guilty to multiple charges

Leonid Teyf, a Russian national and former Raleigh millionaire pleaded guilty Friday to bribery and other charges and agreed to forfeit $5.9 million in assets.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Russian national who used to live in Raleigh pleaded guilty Friday to bribery and other charges.

Federal prosecutors said Leonid Teyf, 59, received more than $150 million in kickbacks from contractors seeking deals with the Russian military.

The indictment alleged Teyf used his position as an executive with a military supplier to extract kickbacks.

Prosecutors also said Teyf thwarted a Russian government probe by bribing investigators.

As part of the plea deal, the feds dropped a murder-for-hire charge. Teyf pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official, visa fraud and false statements on a tax return.

Teyf was accused of trying to have his housekeeper's son killed because he suspected his wife was having an affair with him.

His wife, Tatiana Teyf, 43, pleaded guilty to a false statement in an immigration matter.

The Teyfs also agreed to forfeit assets in the total amount of $5.9 million. Teyf also agreed to be judicially deported once his sentence is complete.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina plans to seek a sentence of 60-months in prison.

"Attempts to subvert U.S. laws through lies and bribery cannot be tolerated," Acker said. "This is particularly true when such attempts are done with the intent of causing greater harm and this office stands ready to pursue these cases with every available tool. Thankfully, through the proactive work of our law enforcement partners, the violence desired was prevented."