One of the short bonuses provided to Patrons over the 2021-22 Christmas and New Year season, released generally a month later.

A Christmas tale of villainy and corruption.

There are all kinds of rumours about embezzlement and theft at a state bank, but the directors swear blind that all is fine.

The chief teller is clearly rich beyond his means, and his wife is never seen but that she is dripping with diamonds, but no one sees fit to enquire further.

Eventually, when it turns out that the bank has been plundered into near-bankruptcy, there’s an enquiry, but the chief director of the bank – who incidentally is a close crony of the ruler – is put in charge of the investigating commission.

And this is despite the eye-witness account of his removing bullion from the bank’s vaults as the scandal breaks.

Lo and behold, all the blame is placed on the teller and sundry other small fry, while the directors go scot free.

Sounds like just another tale of modern Russia?

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