MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI) – Investigation into ex-deputy dean of the Moscow State University’s law faculty Vladimir Stepanov-Yegiyants charged with embezzling about 40 million rubles (over $600,000) has been completed, his defense lawyer Oleg Balakirev has told RAPSI.

According to the attorney, final charges have been brought against the defendant. However, they will insist on Stepanov-Yegiyants’ innocence, Balakirev has said. The defendant and his defense claim that the university lecturer has been slandered by accountant Olga Vasilyeva.

In September 2018, the Moscow City Court released the defendant from detention on a 40-million-ruble bail.

According to investigators, the chair of the faculty’s criminal law department using a forged passport embezzled along with his accomplices money and cars totaling to nearly 40 million rubles from the organization Avtofinance.

Stepanov-Yegiyants was transferred from the deputy dean position to Department of Criminal Law and Criminology associate professorship in 2019, the university’s website reads. He could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million rubles if convicted.  However, he has pleaded not guilty.