MOSCOW, June 18 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Wednesday upheld a previous court decision to return a case against opposition activist Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg to prosecutors, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

The court thus rejected a petition filed by the prosecutors. They insisted on submission of the case to the court.

The brothers stand accused in a fraud case involving cosmetics company Yves Rocher Vostok. Investigators allege that the Navalny brothers embezzled upwards of 26 million rubles (over $746,923) from the cosmetics company, as well as upwards of 4 million rubles (over $114,911) from the

Multidisciplinary Processing Company by way of a fraud scheme. The brothers were further charged with having laundered 21 million rubles.

Alexei Navalny has already been given a suspended sentence of five years for the embezzlement of funds owned by Kirovles company.

Alexei Navalny ran for Moscow mayor in 2013, losing to the Kremlin-backed incumbent, but boosting his public exposure through a vigorous grassroots campaign. He gained just over 27 percent of the vote, well above what initial polls suggested he would get.