MOSCOW, May 6 (RAPSI) - The Gagarinsky District Court in Moscow will open the hearing of the Skolkovo Foundation's lawsuit against State Duma Deputy Ilya Ponomaryov on May 20, the court told RAPSI on Monday.

"Conferences with the conflicting parties have been scheduled for May 20. If they still insist on a court hearing, the court will set the date for a preliminary civil hearing," the court spokesperson said.

The lawsuit was accepted by the court on April 26.

According to the Investigative Committee, Skolkovo Foundation Vice President Alexei Beltyukov paid Ponomaryov $750,000 of the foundation's money without sanction between February 2011 and February 2012 for lectures and research projects. An investigation has been launched into Beltyukov's actions to analyze the subject, the content and the academic value of the lectures that Ponomaryov was contracted to provide for $300,000.

In April, the Skolkovo Foundation said that it had requested additional information from Ponomaryov regarding his work. If evidence is found that the deputy's services were inadequate, the foundation will seek to retrieve the amount paid to him, along with damages, Skolkovo Foundation President Viktor Vekselberg said.

Meanwhile, Ponomaryov told RIA Novosti earlier that he has done even more work for the foundation than the reports show.