MOSCOW, March 12 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld the seizure of property owned by former Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko charged with corruption, the court’s press service told RAPSI.

In December 2017, the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow ruled to seize property belonging to Zakharchenko and his relatives, in the state's favor. A request to turn assets to the state has been filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Overall, the property in this case is evaluated at 9 billion rubles (about $153.3 million), including 27 real estate objects in elite neighborhoods of Moscow, 4 high-end automobiles, 8 billion rubles (about $135.1 million) and a gold bar.

Ex-Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko was arrested on September 8, 2016. During searches at the apartment belonging to Zakharchenko’s sister law enforcement officers found around 9 billion rubles (about $156 million at the current exchange rate).

Zakharchenko himself denied any relation to seized funds.

Zakharchenko was charged with receiving a 7-million-ruble ($121,600) bribe from an unknown source. He has also been charged with abuse of office and hindering the conduct of preliminary investigation. On March 2, it was revealed that he is charged with two more instances of corruption crimes.

According to case papers, Viktor Zakharchenko, the father of ex-official, is charged with being an accessory to embezzlement. His father also pleaded not guilty.