Court of revelry: rector of St. Petersburg State University spent more than 95 million rubles on personal needs

According to the prosecution, Alexander Zapesotsky, rector of the private St. Petersburg University of the Humanities of Trade Unions (SPbGUP), spent more than 95 million rubles of the university on personal expenses in three years. Earlier, the court nationalized the university and dismissed Zapesotsky from office. About how the ex-rector used university money, how his "resignation" was perceived at the university and where the Hermitage came from at St. Petersburg State University — in the Izvestia article.

What Zapesotsky spent the university's money on

In 2023-2025, SPbGUP spent more than 95 million rubles on personal expenses of the now-suspended rector Alexander Zapesotsky, according to documents from the Prosecutor General's Office and the Federal Tax Service.

They indicate that over the past three years, the university has allocated more than 74 million rubles for Zapesotsky and his family's business class flights to France, Monaco and Italy, excursions, restaurants and alcohol. In addition, in 2023-2024, the university paid for the rent of an elite cottage in the village of Lisiy Nos on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, the protection of the mansion and the rector's apartment in the center of St. Petersburg. In total, more than 21.5 million rubles were spent on this from SPbGUP funds.

In September, the Prosecutor General's Office filed a lawsuit for the return to the state of the property of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise, a complex of buildings estimated at several billion rubles. According to the agency, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR) illegally acquired ownership of the university, and Zapesotsky used these assets for personal enrichment for decades. It follows from the documents that in 2009-2014, the FNPR leadership and the rector "inspired legal proceedings to legalize illegally seized public property." In addition, Zapesotsky overstated the university's expenses, declared losses and received subsidies from the state. Since 2012, the amount has amounted to more than 3.2 billion rubles.

What else Zapesotsky spent the university's money on, according to the Prosecutor General's Office:

— Loans to his son Yuri for 48 million rubles (2022-2025);

— Capitalization of the real estate management business in Monaco (S.C.I. Villa le Nid d'aigle) and Estonia (Capatsiten OU);

— Purchase of luxury real estate in France (house price 291 million rubles);

— I took loans from PJSC Baltinvestbank and JSCB Lanta-Bank for 813.6 million rubles secured by the property of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise (2007-2011).

On October 10, the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region decided to nationalize the university. During the hearing, Zapesotsky stated that his son had never taken the university's money, but even lent it to the university. According to the suspended rector, the university now has a loan of 250 million rubles, taken from the bank under the personal ownership of the Zapesotskys.

Alexander Zapesotsky was dismissed from the post of rector in August 2025. He has led the university for more than 30 years — since the founding of St. Petersburg State University. Evgeny Lubashev, Doctor of Economics, Director of the St. Petersburg College of Industrial Technologies, Finance and Law, was appointed acting rector.

Lubashev, according to Fontanka, supported the demands of the Prosecutor General's Office to transfer the university's property to state ownership.

As sources at St. Petersburg State University told Izvestia, the new rector entered the university surrounded by police (the staff is at the disposal of the editorial office), did not get acquainted with the students and did not hold meetings.

However, other interlocutors from the university believe that the photos were allegedly taken using neural networks. They note that the acting rector is an "adequate man."

However, the students' trade union committee is calling for Lubashev's resignation and Zapesotsky's return. In early October, the SPbGUP trade union organization and the trade union committee even made a similar request to the presidential administration of the Russian Federation.

The reaction in St. Petersburg State University to the accusations against the rector

Officially, SPbGUP denies the charges.

"SPbGUP has never owned, used, operated, etc., state-owned property. The head of the university, A.S. Zapesotsky, has never used the university's property for personal enrichment," the university said in a September 24 release.

According to Izvestia's sources at St. Petersburg State University, the curators answered students' questions that such texts were published by the yellow press, they did not need to be read, and "personnel changes in student leadership did not concern students."

With the arrival of the new rector, the students' lives did not change, Zapesotsky's decisions were not canceled, the university students told Izvestia. The trade union committee noted that they will fight for the suspended rector.

What is known about SPbGUP

The private University was founded in 1991 by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia and the Interregional Association Federation of Trade Unions of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region. The university was established on the basis of the Higher Trade Union School of Culture, which existed since 1926.

St. Petersburg State University has five faculties that teach journalism, advertising, linguistics, psychology, art history, sound engineering, film and TV directing, theater, choreography and acting, as well as management, economics, computer science, law and conflict management. About 3 thousand students study at the full-time department of the university.

According to sources at the university, every year Zapesotsky stated that even for paid places the university accepts applicants with high scores for the Unified State Exam, but in reality, some of the enrolled exam scores were about 40.

Depending on the field of study, university tuition costs from 308 thousand rubles to 495 thousand rubles per year, according to the information on the website. The university also accepts budget places. But, according to the source, this is called a 100% discount - after receiving a C for the exam, the discount is reduced.

The dormitory at St. Petersburg State University is paid for all students. Annual accommodation in it costs from 128.7 thousand rubles (triple "standard"). Students pay 180 thousand rubles for a double "standard". In addition, the dormitory has special floors called "international standard" and "international premium". The rooms on these floors are similar to hotel rooms. The most expensive, single "international premium", costs 471 thousand rubles per academic year. According to Izvestia's interlocutors, prices for dorm rooms are indexed by about 5-10 thousand rubles every year.

At the same time, the rector opposed students working, although this was not officially prohibited, the source said.

— The university looks good from the inside. There are red carpets on the ground floor. The gym has been renovated. The university is proud of the toilet, it is called the "Hermitage". This toilet is covered with wallpaper, paintings hang on the walls, there are tables, shelves with books, leather sofas, a large crystal chandelier is shining, music is playing," the source says.

According to the source, there is a kind of "Zapesotsky cult" at the university. At St. Petersburg State University there are sculptures depicting the suspended rector and even an entire wall depicting Zapesotsky.

The university maintains strict discipline. Students are not allowed to miss classes or be late for them. For this, they take away a badge (a pass to the territory), and after several iterations they can be expelled, the university notes. In addition, SPbGUP has a dress code that prohibits coming to university in white sneakers or with an unwashed head.

According to Izvestia's sources, Zapesotsky held closed parties at the university several times a month on weekends, for which the rector attracted students, mostly girls.