MOSCOW, April 16 - RAPSI. The Moscow City Court has extended until July 4 the arrest of former Moscow regional prosecutor Oleg Basylyan, who was charged with involvement in an illegal casino ring.
The court satisfied the investigators' petition to extend his arrest. By law, the defendant can appeal the decision in the Moscow City Court's appeals instance.
The high-profile scandal provoked a public uproar. Businessman Ivan Nazarov allegedly operated illegal casinos in 15 towns across the Moscow region. According to law enforcement authorities, several high-ranking officials of prosecutor's offices and the Interior Ministry were involved in the casino operation, which generated $5 million to $10 million in revenue monthly.
Former Moscow Region First Deputy Prosecutor General Alexander Ignatenko is also involved in the case. He is now in Poland. The Nowy Sach Court has ruled to extradite him to Russia.