MOSCOW, March 2 (RAPSI) - Ex-governor of Russia’s Republic of Karelia Andrey Nelidov on Friday was sentenced to 8 years in prison for corruption, the Investigative Committee’s press service told RAPSI.

Nelidov’s adviser Ivan Romanov, who is currently serving his sentence in another case, received 7 years in prison. Therefore, he is to serve 21 years behind bars in total, the statement reads.

Additionally, Nelidov and Romanov were fined 27.5 and 16.5 million rubles (about $481,500 and $290,000) respectively.

From June 10 to September 23, 2015, the former Karelia’s governor through the intermediary of his adviser received bribes from a businessman in consideration of an opportunity to do business without obstruction on the museum’s territory on the Kizhi island, a UNESCO world heritage site. In total, Nelidov received over 4.6 million rubles in bribes ($80,500), according to investigators.

A court has seized over 17 million rubles (about $300,000) belonging to the defendants as interim measures.