MOSCOW, July 31 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has upheld detention of deputy board chairman of the Russian Pension Fund Alexey Ivanov in a 4.4-million-ruble (about $695,000) bribery case, a RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom.

The court did not agree with the arguments presented by the defense, who insisted to put Ivanov under a house arrest instead of detention, pointing out that he had admitted guilt and needed to care of his parents in their advanced years.

On July 12, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow detained Ivanov and director of one of the departments of Technoserv Management company Alexey Kopeikin suspected of mediation in bribery until September 9.

Investigators believe that from 2017 to 2019 unidentified persons monthly transferred 200,000 rubles (over $3,000) to Kopeikin’s bank account. The money was later given to Ivanov, according to the investigation.

Ivanov pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with investigators.

Searches were earlier conducted in the Technoserv system integrator’s offices. The company is an IT-contractor of the Russian Pension Fund and other major state ordering customers.