Born in 1958, Ossipenko was most well-known for his ventures in waste management and road maintenance, and his most significant companies included N&V and Ekovir.

Prior to entering business, Ossipenko worked for many years in the police and the Militsiya, the Soviet police force.

His final years were dogged by a corruption scandal that broke in the fall of 2022 in the Ida-Viru County town of Kohtla-Järve, implicating nearly 20 suspects.

Ossipenko's failing health led to a divergence of opinion between the prosecution and defense on whether he should be held in custody.

Ultimately he was detained for over six months. He passed away on Monday, just over a year to the day after his release.

Nikolai Ossipenko was elected to the Jõhvi municipal council five times, though in latter years generally did not attend council meetings.

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