Ilya Odessky – an International Master, author and arguably the best Russian chess journalist, has appealed for help as his family is being threatened by criminals. 

He posted the letter below at the ChessPro forum, and it’s already been reproduced by Grandmaster Mikhail Golubev (who informed me about it) and others.

At ChessPro Odessky was asked to provide some more details and added that Trubenkov, the man mentioned as his family’s persecutor, worked for many years in an engineering company with his father. Eventually Trubenkov took over and also developed many other dubious (but successful) ventures, so that the original company was being used for little more than money laundering. Odessky’s father (now 74 years old) found out about this and resigned, but he also told his co-workers who also decided to resign and set up their own company. Though nothing happened for a few years threats and demands for money eventually began.

I realise it’s unlikely that many English readers of the letter are going to be in a position to help, but just in case the distribution of this letter in English can be of any use please feel free to copy/re-post it.

My family has been struck by a great misfortune. I’m asking for help from forum members.

We’re being threatened by criminals. Each day a telephone rings 10-12 times. They phone mobiles and also our home number. They can phone at 9 in the evening, or at 5 in the morning. They threaten physical violence. The theme is always the same: it’ll be worse than last year.

Last year they beat my father until he was half-dead. They hit his head, his face, his kidneys. They took away his passport, his pension certificate, the keys to his flat. They inflicted many injuries. Later that led to my father having a serious illness. He had to undergo a major operation to remove a kidney.  

Since Spring I’ve been forced to refuse any trips. I cancelled Dagomys, Astrakhan, Poikovsky… At the last moment I even declined to travel to the Olympiad. I did whatever I could to ensure my father was safe.

Now the situation has worsened. The criminals are literally at the door. They ring the intercom. The threats are the same.

We know who’s behind all of this. The man’s called Valery Trubenkov. He’s already been terrorising our family for six years. Before there were simply calls, threats. Last year he crossed the line and ordered the attack on my father but, unfortunately, he remains unpunished. The police opened a criminal case but didn’t go on to do anything serious about it. The case is gathering dust.   

Some of the calls come from the private mobile numbers of Trubenkov: +7 (903) 757-70-03 and +7 (916) 101-82-80. Some from the number +7 (903) 113-52-36 where someone he’s hired reads out threats. Some of the numbers are either withheld or clearly false, e.g. +442032892491. That number’s well-known on the internet.

There are two problems. The first is the safety of our family. On the last occasion the criminals said that this was the last time they’d ring the intercom, and they’d switch from threats to action. My father won’t leave the house without me. I’ve armed myself as possible but, as you can see, things can’t go on like this for long. No-one can live like this, it’s impossible.

The second problem is one of justice. This man has committed a crime. He should be held responsible. The police gave me a printout on Trubenkov from the so-called “joint FSB [Russian Security Service] and MVD [Ministry of Internal Affairs] database”. There’s plenty of material, but… I asked in what scenario the police would do something about it. They openly replied: if there are corpses. Then Trubenkov will automatically become the prime suspect, and they’ll get down to dealing with him seriously. But until then – nothing.

Here’s what I’m asking forum members.

If you have serious contacts within the state bodies – send me a PM.

If you have serious contacts with people who can effectively resolve such problems – send me a PM.

If you have any other ideas of how to help – send me a PM.

Please don’t flood my inbox. Don’t litter this thread. I don’t need general words, sympathy and so on. Only something which might offer specific help.

Previously I thought that I could deal with it myself and therefore I kept it all a secret. Now I understand that I can’t cope on my own. I need your help.

If someone has a LiveJournal account on the internet [the most popular blogging platform in Russia], please duplicate this post.