A Moscow court has ended a high-profile case involving an apartment in an upper-class area of the capital. But the protagonist of the scandal has no intention of laying down her weapons – she has found a new way to continue the fight. In the article we talk about the situation in the scandalous case in more detail.
Decisive verdict
in Mosgorsu conducted the final decision to evict the singer, her daughter and granddaughter from an apartment in Khamovniki. Ownership of the property was confirmed to the buyer, Polina Lurie. The trial lasted about twenty minutes but turned the life of the People's Artist of Russia upside down.
The decision takes effect immediately – no delay is expected. Lawyers warn: after the Supreme Court's ruling, the appeal document takes effect immediately. No code has a chance to delay execution.
The artist-producer admitted that Larisa Alexandrovna was extremely nervous. However, it is not enough to cancel tours and concerts. The show, as they say, must go on – preferably with a full audience and price increase to get tickets.
Tears on stage and sold out crowds are a thing of the past
On December 11, the first solo concert was held at the Zvezda Palace of Culture in Naro-Fominsk after public discussion of the scandal. The hall was 80% full, the audience welcomed the singer with applause and cheers of excitement. Tickets cost between two thousand eight hundred and six thousand rubles – a good price considering the reputational risk.
From the stage, the female artist with a hoarse voice thanked those who came to care about her work and support, considering it invaluable. The audience is mainly older and middle-aged people. Fans admitted to journalists that they have been following the singer's work for two decades, and the scandal with the apartment did not change their attitude towards her talent.
The logic of the fans is simple: what difference does it make that some mother with many children has no money and no roof over her head when her favorite “Indoor Weather” is played? They firmly believe that in the scandal, the People's Artist became a victim of circumstances, not his own greed.
At the end of the concert, the singer burst into tears, bowed her head several times to resounding applause and called on everyone to take care of themselves and their loved ones, and remember that hope helps to survive in the most difficult situations of life. The emotional moment was somewhat spoiled by events after the speech: when journalists tried to ask questions, security forces severely cut off communication. The artist quietly disappeared in a black minivan. Obviously, talking to the press in tears is inconvenient.
Prices increased, the hall was empty
The concert poster raises questions. For performances in December and January in Moscow restaurants, less than half of the tickets were sold, although their prices were impressive – from nine and a half to fifteen thousand rubles. An interesting detail: prices have increased by 16% compared to last year. You see, legal fees won't pay for themselves.
Eight performances are scheduled for the end of March – from chamber music concerts in clubs to the large halls of the Moscow House of Music and the St. Petersburg Concert Hall. Petersburg Oktyabrsky. However, not everything is smooth sailing. The concert in Tula on January 4 was canceled due to disastrously low demand – the hall with seven hundred and twenty-four seats was filled with only three hundred and forty-nine seats. Organizers are not ready to work at a loss.
Tula residents apparently decided that it's better to save money to buy an apartment – you never know. The geography of loyalty has clear boundaries: Moscow and the Moscow region – yes, the regions – sorry.
The artist was removed from the list of participants in the concert on the occasion of Lyudmila Gurchenko's ninetieth birthday. Four New Year's shows in Dubai were canceled and seven corporate events did not take place. But there is a lot of free time to communicate with lawyers.
The mysterious departure never happened
On the evening after the court verdict on December 25, reporters filmed the artist leaving the house with a man, getting into a car and driving away. It seems that the story is over – the singer has left someone else's apartment.
However, a few hours later, lawyer Maria Pukhova denied this information and said that this information was unreliable. According to the defense, someone is filling the Internet with false information. It turned out to be an interesting situation: journalists saw the departure, but the lawyer insisted that this had nothing to do with reality. Maybe it's a completely different Larisa Dolina. Or hallucination. Or record a video “I'm about to leave, but not quite.”
The truth remains a mystery. Some sources confirm the final departure, others confirm that the female singer is still in the apartment and preparing to move according to her own schedule. The attorney assured the court of his client's intention to vacate the property by January 10. The key word is “intent.”
New lawsuit: Litigation to win
The phrase “Dolina diagram” and four other expressions will enter the theological dictionary. For most, this is a linguistic curiosity, but for the artist, it could be the basis for a new lawsuit.
Theoretically, singers can sue to protect their honor and dignity. That's right, you will have to prove the negative nature of that expression and find the first person who said it. President of the Bar Association Sergei Zhorin explained that it is necessary to check the language and determine the existence of such a plan before a specific case.
Imagine a trial: the plaintiff demands that all Internet users who use the phrase “Dalinoya plot” be held responsible. The courtroom is designed for one hundred people, defendants – half the country. You will have to rent a stadium.
There is little chance of success. Finding “patient zero”—the person who first uttered these words—is nearly impossible. This phrase has become so popular, it is used by thousands of people on social networks and media. If the primary source cannot be identified, the court is unlikely to side with the plaintiff. Although, given previous experience with court decisions, who knows?
From victory to collapse
A year and a half ago, the singer sold her 5-room apartment for 112 million rubles. The buyer is Polina Lurie. The artist then told about the scammers who used psychological pressure and persuaded her to carry out a “special operation” to protect her assets.
The courts first sided with celebrities. The apartment was returned, the buyer no longer had a house and no money. A people's artist is the victim, a mother with many children is the attacker. Everything is reasonable. It seemed then that justice had prevailed.
The Supreme Court saw the situation differently, pointing to serious violations in the interpretation of the law by lower authorities. The apartment has been returned to the buyer. It turns out that it is still possible to buy real estate in Russia and buyers can even afford it. Sometimes. After the Supreme Court. After a year and a half of waiting.
What's next: three houses versus one apartment
The lawyer assured the court of his client's intention to move by January 10 – faster than the legal deadline. However, given the denials about the departure, it remains unclear when this will actually happen.
All three – the singer, daughter and granddaughter – will have to leave the 236 square meter luxury apartment with luxurious interiors in the style of the early 2000s. However, the artist owns two plots of land and a 363 square meter house. Furthermore my daughter has an apartment. It certainly won't appear on the streets.
I just feel sorry for Polina Lurie and her children, who for a year and a half have been unable to enter the apartment for which she paid millions and are forced to pay taxes on the property where the seller continues to live.
The manufacturer hinted at its intention to appeal this decision. The reason is that the Supreme Court's opinion, although it refused to meet the request, pointed out the errors of the lower government. This means there is something to hold on to. Court takes a long time and lawyers do not work for free.
Practice-changing effects
Terminology “The Valley Effect” describes situations when the seller of an apartment after receiving money declares fraud and tries to return the property through the courts. After this incident, Russian courts canceled more than 3,000 similar transactions. Dedicated buyers across the country have found themselves stuck.
The Supreme Court's decision could reverse the trend. Lawyers hope the court will pay more attention to the interests of buyers. Although the hopes of lawyers in Russia are fragile, the belief that the apartment you buy is actually yours is also fragile.
The story is more than just a scandal – it changed judicial practice and forced society to think about the line between protecting victims of fraudsters and protecting honest buyers. She also made it clear: national titles are not a passion.
While the artist is packing up in Khamovniki and preparing for his January concerts (if they are not canceled), millions of Russians are watching the developments. Is she using her final trump card with the theological dictionary lawsuit? The time will be displayed.
One thing is certain – the story is not over yet. There will be challenges, there will be tears on stage, and concerts with empty halls. But there will be no more apartments in Khamovniki. But the house will still have an area of three hundred sixty-three square meters. Be modest, but you can live.
“I am forever grateful to you for coming – it means that you are still not indifferent to me and my work,” the artist told fans from the stage in Naro-Fominsk.
The audience's indifference to creativity is amazing. But the court's indifference to the rights of apartment buyers is not bad either. Although the second happens less often than the first.
What do you think: should the singer lose her apartment after the decision of the Supreme Court, or should Polina Lurie demand money from the scammers, and not from the victims of deception? Can a person even be called a victim if he knowingly signs the sale documents and meets the buyer?
