MOSCOW, July 8 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – Investigation into a criminal case over large scale embezzlement at the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, one of the country's leading space enterprises, has been completed, Kommersant newspaper reported on Friday.

In spring of the last year, after inspection at the Center, authorities revealed 9 billion rubles ($138.4 mln) embezzlement. As a result 8 criminal cases over embezzlement and abuse of office have been launched.

According to Kommersant, investigators believe that Khrunichev Center unduly granted benefits t to "Metalresource" company during the assignment of contracts for metal supplies.

Allegedly, in 2012 deputy head of the Center Victor Larin signed 290 million rubles ($4.4 mln) contract with "Metalresource" for supplying metal for Proton and Angara booster rockets without proper auction. Later the same company received similar contracts that allegedly involved head of the Center Alexander Seliverstov and deputy head Yuriy Yakovlev.

“Investigation showed that former management of the Center not only knew that supplier inflates the prices for a product, but received bribes from the head of “Metalresource” Ruslan Urazgildeev”, the newspaper reported.

Damages allegedly caused by the ex-heads of the Center have been estimated at 108 million rubles ($1.6 mln), Kommersant has reported. Seliverstov, Yakovlev and Larin have been presented with charges. Urazgildeev was put on the wanted list and arrested in absentia.

The Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is one of the country's leading space enterprises. Currently the research center’s main priority is construction of “Proton” and “Angara” space rockets. In 2014, it was revealed that enterprise faces financial troubles.