In early June 1882, a high-profile case of extortion involving promissory notes worth 100,000 rubles from steamboat magnate Ustin Kurbatov was heard in the Kazan District Court. On the defendants' bench was Semen Zamyatnin, a merchant from Kozmodemyansk. The interests of the victim were represented by the famous lawyer Fyodor Plevako.

The story began quite ordinarily: the elderly owner of the shipping company, Ustin Savvich Kurbatov, while on business in Kozmodemyansk (now part of the Mari El Republic), met merchant Maria Zubkova. He was 50 years old, she was 32.

A passionate romance developed between them. Kurbatov often took Maria to restaurants, they walked in the park, attended the theater, and he even stayed with her for several days. This continued for four years, but Kurbatov was in no hurry to marry her. Eventually, Maria grew tired of this situation and left Ustin Savvich, choosing his partner Semen Zamyatnin instead. However, this did not affect the business relationship between Kurbatov and Zamyatnin.

One day, Kurbatov visited the newlyweds on business. Zamyatnin offered him tea and then invited him into the next room, where, threatening him with a revolver, he forced him to sign promissory notes for 100,000 rubles as compensation for his past relationship with his wife. Kurbatov was compelled to agree but soon turned to the police. Zamyatnin was arrested. In court, he insisted on his innocence, claiming that the promissory notes were a gift to his wife from Kurbatov when they were still dating.

The court's decision was largely influenced by Plevako's eloquent speech: "A jealous man does not tell his wife: I am satisfied with promissory notes for your dishonor. Zamyatnin dares to trade his wife's shame." As a result, the court declared the promissory notes invalid and ordered their destruction. The Zamyatnin family returned to Kozmodemyansk in disgrace, while Maria Zubkova became a recluse and rarely left her home.