MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI) – The Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow on Thursday sentenced an alleged gang leader Zachary Kalashov, also known as Shakro Molodoy, to 9 years and 10 months in a high security penal colony as part of a criminal case over extortion of 8 million rubles ($138,600), RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom.

Kalashov’s accomplice Andrey Kotchuykov was sentenced to 8 years and 10 months while others received terms varying from 7 years and 4 months to 9 years and 4 months. The defendants were found guilty of an extortion committed on an especially large scale by an organized group.

The alleged gang leader is believed to be involved in a shootout near the Elements restaurant in Moscow that left two persons dead. Investigators believe that Kalashov has organized an extortion of 8 million rubles from the restaurant owner.

Kalashov is also related to a bribery case against high-ranking investigators Denis Nikandrov and Mikhail Maksimenko. On March 19, he denied his connection to either of them.

According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. Maksimenko is also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver.

He has been arrested along with other high-ranking investigators, his deputy Alexander Lamonov and the First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committee’s Moscow Directorate, General Denis Nikandrov.

The three officers were detained as part of the abovementioned extortion case. In addition, investigators believe that they extorted 10 million rubles (about $170,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants deny their connections to Kalashov.

Earlier, detention of Maksimenko was extended until June 27.