Russian Lawmaker Resigns From Ethics Committee After Disclosing $1.3 Million Worth of Real Estate in Florida

A Russian lawmaker and the chairman of the country's ethics committee resigned from his office after it was revealed he owned $1.3 million worth of real estate in Florida, The New York Times reported.

While Vladimir A. Pekhtin, 52, didn't break the law, the Kremlin party, which he represented in the legislature, was in a controversial limelight and possibly pressured him to resign. Under the country's annual declaration, the properties were supposed to be registered. He only listed two large apartments, two homes and six properties of land, a Porsche, Land Cruiser and three Mercedes, snowmobile and a jet ski.

"I will give up my mandate, which I always achieved in honest political battle, and my rivals, my opponents, know this," Pekhtin said on a television broadcast. "Nevertheless, I will not cling to it. Because I think that my personal matters are secondary to United Russia. Thank you for many years of work, and for your devotion. We will fight on."

Within hours of Pekhitin's announcement, Anatoly Lomakin, another Russian lawmaker of the same party also submitted his resignation, The Times reported. Lomakin, who is on Forbes'  most wealthy list, is valued at $1.2 billion. His source of wealth is attained from his business as a fertilizer industrialist. 

The source of the real estate disclosures came from Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption activist who posted the property records that showed Pekhtin's title under two Miami Beach condos and one in Ormond Beach. 

Navalny started calling the Kremlin party the "Party of Crooks and Thieves," according to The Washington Post.  After many charges against him, including fraud, by the authorities most of his supporters believe they were political agendas.

While Pekhtin responded that his son lives in the United States, his name was the only one that appears on the documents, according to The Post.