MMA fighter Oganesyan arrested in Russia's Tula for leading fake police gang PHOTO

Authorities in Russia's Tula city have arrested an Armenian-origin MMA fighter who turned out to lead a criminal gang, per Telegram channel Baza.

The gang allegedly impersonated law enforcement officers to commit robberies and extort money from victims.

The suspect, 36-year-old Tigran Oganesyan, is a well-known local athlete and coach who has repeatedly won the “Battle for Tula” championship.

According to preliminary reports, Oganesyan assembled a gang of five of his trainees, all from the South Caucasus. Under his leadership, the group terrorised residents of Shchyokino and Tula, extorting sums ranging from 500,000 to 800,000 rubles (from $6,400 to $10,300).

All gang members have been detained, and criminal cases have been opened under the charges of robbery and extortion.

By Khagan Isayev