Kolganov's dark role: the actor will be in jail until 2026 for distributing child pornography

Actor Vladimir Kolganov, known for the TV series "Streets of Broken Lanterns", "Sea Devils" and "Father Matthew", was detained until January 17, 2026 on charges of manufacturing and distributing child pornography. According to the investigation, he and an accomplice have been producing and posting nude photos of children on the Darknet and social networks since 2007. Despite the fact that Kolganov pleaded not guilty and asked for a more lenient measure of restraint, the court rejected his request, leaving both the actor and his alleged accomplice in custody. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Why was actor Kolganov arrested?

Actor Vladimir Kolganov was detained until January 17, 2026. He is accused of producing and distributing child pornography. This is reported by the joint press service of the city courts of St. Petersburg. Kolganov pleaded not guilty and asked the court for a more lenient measure of restraint, but his request was rejected.

Together with Kolganov, Evgeny Kirillov received the same term of imprisonment. He also pleaded not guilty and applied for house arrest, but the court rejected this request.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

Kolganov was detained on November 18, at the same time his home was searched, after which the actor was charged, writes 78.ru . According to the investigation, in 2007, Vladimir Kolganov produced and stored pornographic materials involving minors, including children under the age of 14, which he subsequently posted on his social network page.

And in 2015, together with Kirillov, he produced and similarly distributed another pornographic material involving a child. All of these files were publicly available online until they were discovered by law enforcement agencies.

The defendants were contacted through Interpol, which drew attention to questionable material on the darknet, TV channel 78 pointed out.

Biography of Vladimir Kolganov

Vladimir Kolganov was born on March 10, 1978 in Leningrad into a family of cinematographers. His mother is an actress of the Alexandrinsky Theater and teacher Tatiana Kulish, his father is a Lenfilm cameraman Lev Kolganov.

Vladimir Kolganov in the series "Secrets of the investigation"

Photo: kino-teatr.ru

In 2003, the actor graduated from the St. Petersburg Art and Technical Institute ("School of Russian Drama") and was accepted into the troupe of the Alexandrinsky Theater, where he served until 2013. In 2007, he was awarded the Audience Award for his role in the play "Flowers for Charlie".

The personal life of Vladimir Kolganov

Little is known about the actor's personal life. He is married to a woman named Inna, and the couple has two children, a son named Egor and a daughter named Yaroslava.

Filmography of Vladimir Kolganov

As of 2025, Vladimir Kolganov's filmography includes about 85 works in film and television.

His film debut took place in 2002 in the TV series "Streets of Broken Lanterns". Since then, he has participated in numerous projects, including "Killer Force", "Sea Devils", "Death of an Empire" and "Opera. Chronicles of the Homicide department". The main roles in the film "Strawberry Time" (2008) and in the TV series "Father Matthew" (2014) became significant in his career.

Vladimir Kolganov in the series "Killing Force"

Photo: kino-teatr.ru

The actor also collaborated with theaters, including Such Theater, Drama Theater of the Republic of Karelia and others, participated in plays and performances. In addition, Kolganov is engaged in teaching acting at a theater university.

As for his views on the profession, the actor himself notes that, having grown up in a creative environment, he did not strive for quick fame. He was happy with his career, as he always had the opportunity to do what he loved — acting in films and on stage.

How Vladimir Kolganov became known

Vladimir Kolganov became recognizable thanks to his many years of work in iconic crime and detective franchises that defined the face of Russian television. His career in the genre began with memorable episodes in the cult TV series "Streets of Broken Lanterns" and "Homicide Force," which helped him get comfortable in front of the camera and gain a wide audience.

A significant milestone was the actor's participation in the successful TV series "Sea Devils", where he appeared in the main seasons and offshoots of the franchise. His restrained, psychologically accurate manner of acting also proved to be in demand in the detective drama "Secrets of the Investigation" and the TV series "First Division" based on real events.

A special place in the filmography of the artist was occupied by one of his most unusual roles — the priest Father Matthew in the TV series of the same name. In order to achieve authenticity in the creation of the image, real clergymen acted as consultants on the project.