MOSCOW, October 23 (RAPSI, Nikolay Merkulov) – Moscow’s Chertanovsky District Court on Monday sentenced Yulia Anikeyeva, former president of the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF), to 4.5 years in prison for embezzling 44 million rubles (about $766,000 at the current exchange rate), RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

On Monday, the court changed Anikeyeva’s restrictive measure from house arrest to detention. Moreover, the court ruled to put her on the wanted list, as she was notified of the hearing but failed to appear in court.

The court also held that the case against ex-chief accountant of the RBF Mikhail Kocharyan must be closed because of his death.

Anikeyeva and Kocharyan were found guilty of large-scale embezzlement committed by a group of people in collusion with the use of their job position.

A criminal case was launched against Anikeyeva in December 2015 based on the results of financial audit conducted at the RBF after a change of management. Kocharyan died in October 2016 after extended illness. His relatives objected to termination of his criminal prosecution without Kocharyan being rehabilitated in court.

Investigators believe that between February 20, 2014 and August 24, 2015, Anikeyeva and her accomplices embezzled nearly 44 million rubles by signing fictitious civil law contracts with private entrepreneurs. Money was allegedly cashed in and transferred to Silina who in her turn transferred it Kocharyan.

Anikeyeva has pleaded not guilty.

In March 2017, the court found Silina guilty of aiding embezzlement and sentenced her to 3.5 years in prison.