MOSCOW, June 7 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has registered an appeal of the former Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko charged with corruption crimes against confiscation of 9 billion rubles ($145.3 million) from him and his relatives, the press-service of the court has told RAPSI.

Zakharchenko’s lawyer Alexander Gorbatenko told RAPSI that his client also filed an application with the Nikulinsky District Court seeking to review the ruling on the confiscation in light of new circumstances. When the confiscation lawsuit was filed the money was no longer classified as evidence in the corruption case.

Earlier, the court granted a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office and confiscated money and property belonging to Zakharachenko and his relatives. Overall, the property in this case is evaluated at 9 billion rubles, including 27 real estate objects in elite neighborhoods of Moscow, 4 high-end automobiles, 8 billion rubles (about $129.2 million) and a gold bar. The ruling came into force in March.

Ex-Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko was arrested on September 8, 2016. During searches at the apartment belonging to Zakharchenko’s sister law enforcement officers found around 9 billion rubles. He denied any relation to seized funds.

Zakharchenko was charged with receiving a 7-million-ruble ($114,000) bribe from an unknown source. He has also been charged with abuse of office and hindering the conduct of preliminary investigation. In March, it was revealed that he is charged with two more instances of corruption crimes.

According to case papers, Viktor Zakharchenko, the father of ex-official, is charged with being an accessory to embezzlement. His father also pleaded not guilty.