MOSCOW, January 9 (RAPSI) – The Kamchatka Regional Court has granted parole for former regional Minister of Sport Victor Kravchenko convicted of embezzling budget funds upon purchase of sports equipment, according to the court’s press service.

The ex-minister, who was put in prison in December 2014, has served a half of his 4-year term ever since. Moreover, he pleaded guilty and paid out a 500,000-ruble ($8,200) fine imposed on him by court, the statement reads. However, he has not paid damages inflicted on the budget yet.

A criminal case against Kravchenko was opened in 2012. According to investigators, in 2011, he offered a businessman to take part in an auction for delivering sports clothes and equipment for junior hockey teams and did all in his power to debar other suppliers from the auction. Thus, inferior goods were supplied at inflated value within the government contract that caused a 7.3-million-ruble ($120,350) damage to the regional budget.