MOSCOW, December 19 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky District Court on Friday extended until February 15 the house arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny imposed on him in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.
During the hearing prosecutors asked the court to sentence Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg to ten and eight years in prison respectively. The verdict is set to be issued on Janury 15.
After the prosecution, Yves Rocher representative took the stand and stated that the damage done to the company by the Navalny brothers was estimated around 55 million rubles ($922,000 at present rate). During previous hearings, the company was unsure if any damage at all was inflicted, and even declared that it had no claims against Navalny and his brother.
Alexei Navalny is a Russian political and public figure, leader of the Party of Progress. He ran for Moscow mayor and is the author of one of the most popular political blogs that was banned for promoting unauthorized public protests.
Navalny and his brother Oleg stand accused in a fraud case involving cosmetics company Yves Rocher Vostok. Investigators allege that the Navalny brothers embezzled up to 26 million rubles (about $436,200) from the cosmetics company, as well as close to 4 million rubles ($67,200) from the Multidisciplinary Processing Company by way of a fraud scheme. The brothers were further charged with having laundered 21 million rubles ($352,300).
Alexei Navalny has been already given a suspended sentence of five years for the embezzlement of funds from Kirovles Company.