Nikolai Nikiforov, the former Minister of Digital Development, has been charged in absentia in connection with the Finiko financial pyramid scheme, which defrauded investors of 5 billion rubles. Reports from Kommersant and RBC, citing informed sources, indicate that investigators believe Nikiforov was among the scheme's organizers. He faces charges of forming an organized criminal group (Article 210, Part 1 of the Criminal Code) and large-scale fraud (Article 159, Part 4 of the Criminal Code). Currently, the former minister is abroad and has been placed on a wanted list.