ChechnyaMMA fighter Mamed Khalidov claimed to be one of the ‘main’ buyers of stolen cars in Czechiaby Elizaveta Chukharova (Updated: 7 days ago )• 4 min readShare▲Mamed Khalidov. Screengrab from video.Polish online media outlet Wirtualna Polska has published details of the criminal case against Mamed Khalidov, a prominent MMA fighter of Chechen origin. Journalists reviewed the written reasoning of the Tarnowskie Góry District Court, which in July sentenced the fighter to one and a half years in prison and a fine of 280,000 złoty ($75,000). The verdict is not final. Khalidov said he considers himself innocent and will appeal the decision. According to court documents, in 2016 and 2017 Khalidov bought cars in Poland and Czechia which were allegedly stolen or unlawfully appropriated. Khalidov was born in Grozny and moved to Poland in the late 1990s. With the nickname Cannibal, he became one of the best-known fighters in Poland’s KSW organisation, winning its middleweight championship twice. In 2010, the MMA fighter obtained Polish citizenship. In July, Khalidov was convicted on eight counts of acquiring property originating from crime — including one attempted offence — as well as inciting the destruction of vehicles and violence against police officers. The case revolved around a scheme involving so-called ‘cloned’ cars: damaged vehicles purchased abroad together with their documents, after which their VIN numbers were transferred to stolen cars. Criminals also altered the data in the vehicles’ electronic systems and programmed new keys. As a result, a stolen car could have the documents of a legitimate vehicle. One of the intermediaries between sellers in the Czech Republic and buyers in Poland was Jakub S. According to the court, Khalidov was one of his main customers. In August 2016, Khalidov travelled to Czechia with two acquaintances and Jakub S. to collect a car that the court later valued at 178,200 złoty ($48,000). After negotiations, Khalidov paid €5,000 ($6,000) for it, while the intermediary received a €1,000 ($1,200) commission. In November of the same year, they acquired two more cars for around €60,000 ($70,000). Czech police detained the vehicles and established that they had been reported stolen. According to the court documents, Khalidov provided the money for the purchase. The court documents describe other similar transactions. The difference between the purchase price and the market value was in some cases substantial: one car bought for €25,000 ($29,000) was valued by the court at 243,000 złoty ($65,000), while another, purchased for €26,000 ($30,000), was valued at 352,600 złoty ( $95,000). The court also pointed to circumstances which, in its view, indicated that Khalidov knew where the cars came from. These included unusually low prices, incomplete or forged documents, a lack of information about previous owners, only one key instead of a complete set, and sales contracts drawn up retrospectively or left blank. In the verdict, Khalidov is described as ‘one of the main buyers’ of cars originating from thefts and unlawful appropriations in Czechia. Khalidov also faced other charges, including involvement in arson. According to the court, in April 2017 an acquaintance of Khalidov told him about a dispute with his partner’s former husband, who had reported the illegal keeping of wild animals to the police. According to WP, Jakub S. gave Khalidov the make, colour and registration number of the man’s car, as well as his address. On the night of 11–12 April, the car was set on fire and the flames spread to another vehicle parked nearby. The identities of those who carried out the arson were not established. In October 2018, police arrested a close associate of Khalidov. The fighter met the police convoy outside the building and, according to the court documents, tried to prevent officers from taking the detainee away. He demanded that the man’s handcuffs be removed, shouted and, according to the court, struck one of the officers in the chest. Khalidov admitted shouting and swearing but denied making physical contact with the officers. The court rejected this part of his testimony, but took into account when sentencing that the officers were not injured and that Khalidov later went to the police himself and apologised. Khalidov maintains that he did not know the cars were of criminal origin and denied involvement in arson. The court found his explanations inconsistent with other evidence. Khalidov was acquitted on one charge, concerning a Turkish-made revolver found during a search of his home in June 2019. The fighter said he had bought it at a military equipment shop as a toy and did not know a permit was required. The court accepted this explanation. The criminal case was part of a larger investigation involving 17 people. They were charged with a total of 140 offences, including trading in stolen cars, document forgery, fraud, and the distribution of counterfeit euros. After the verdict was announced, Khalidov said he disagreed with the court’s decision. ‘From the very beginning, I have consistently presented my position and I still consider myself innocent,’ he wrote in a statement, adding that he intended to appeal the verdict. Liza was born and raised in Vladikavkaz and now lives in Prague. She has previously worked for RFE/RL, ASTRA, Belsat, and others. She is currently completing her PhD in German and Slavic Studies at Charles University in Prague, specialising in the study of military and inter-ethnic conflicts in the North Caucasus. In her free time, Liza shoots feature films, writes about cinema, and travels — she has visited exactly 50 countries and is not going to stop there.