Orthodox priest Grozovsky suspected of pedophilia extradited from Israel to Russia
MOSCOW. Sept 7 (Interfax) - Russian Orthodox Church priest Gleb Grozovsky, who has been charged with sexually abusing minors, has been extradited from Israel to Russia at the Russian Prosecutor General's Office request, Alexander Kurennoi, a spokesman for the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, told Interfax on Wednesday.
"Investigative bodies have charged him with committing crimes covered by Russian Criminal Code Article 132, Part 4, Clause 'b' (nonconsensual sexual activities, that is, other sexual activities using a victim's helpless state committed in relation to a person under 14)," Kurennoi said.
The criminal case against Grozovsky is being handled by the directorate of special investigations under the Investigative Committee department for St. Petersburg, he said.
The investigation has concluded that Grozovsky had molested several children under 14 at an Orthodox children's camp on Konevets Island in the Priozersky district of the Leningrad region in summer 2011, when he served as a clergyman at the Assumption (St. Sophia) Cathedral in Tsarskoye Selo outside St. Petersburg.
According to the investigators, Grozovsky also committed similar actions at the Orthodox children's camp Philadelphia in Greece in June 2013, where he served as the rector of the St. John the Warrior Church.
As Grozovsky escaped prosecution, Russia issued an arrest warrant for him and declared him internationally wanted in October 2013.
The priest himself claimed he was on a mission to Israel.
In November 2013, the Gatchina Eparchy reported that Grozovsky's mission had been terminated, and he was suspended from ministry pending investigation.
