MOSCOW, August 17 (RAPSI) – The Khorochevsky District Court of Moscow has refused to consider a lawsuit against former president of Vneshprombank Larisa Markus sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for embezzling 113.5 billion rubles (about $2 billion), the court’s press-service has told RAPSI.

The lawsuit was filed against Markus and Vneshprombank’s former vice-president Yekaterina Glushakova by the Industrial Agricultural Bank, which sought to lift seizure from the real estate. According to the court, the seizure was imposed as part of a criminal case and as such should be reviewed as part of criminal proceedings.

In May 2017, Markus was sentenced to 9 years in prison for embezzling 113.5 billion rubles and later was declared bankrupt on the request of VTB24 bank. In August, her sentence was reduced by 6 months.

Investigators believe that Markus along with her brother Georgy Bedzhamov, who once co-owned Vneshprombank, created an organized crime group to siphon money from the bank. The group including former vice-president of the bank Yekaterina Glushakova allegedly granted loans to sub-companies and did not refund money to Vneshprombank. Allegedly, from May 2009 to December 2015, conspirators managed to embezzle about 114 billion rubles.

Glushakova has been sentenced to 4 years in prison. Bedzhamov has been put on the international wanted list. An arrest warrant has been issued for him in absentia.

The Moscow court also ruled that the lawsuit filed by Vneshprombank against the defendants is to be reviewed as part of the civil proceedings.