MOSCOW, August 7 (RAPSI) – Alexander Lamonov, Russia’s former high-ranking investigator has appealed his 5-year prison sentence for receiving a large-scale bribe, the Moscow City Court’s press-service has told RAPSI.

On July 26, the court found the defendant guilty of corruption. Aside from being sentenced to the prison term, he was also fined 32 million rubles ($508,000) and lost his rank.

Trial against Lamonov was held behind closed doors due to secret information contained in the case documents. The case was reviewed under a special procedure because the defendant pleaded guilty and made a deal with investigators.

Lamonov, ex-First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committee’s Moscow Directorate, General Denis Nikandrov and ex-chief of the Investigative Committee’s Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko have been arrested and detained as part of a case over extortion of 8 million rubles (about $138,000 at the current exchange rate) that involved an alleged gang leader Zakhariy Kalashov. In addition, investigators believe that they extorted 10 million rubles (about $170,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants denied their communications with Kalashov.

On April 20, Maksimenko was found guilty of taking two bribes and received 13 years in prison. The defendant was also fined 165 million rubles ($2.8 million).

According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. He was also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver.