ST. PETERSBURG, October 16 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – The Smolninsky District Court in St. Petersburg is to hear a criminal case over embezzlement revealed during construction and renovation of two city theaters, as well as delivery of equipment for a St. Petersburg structure of the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater, the official website of the court reads on Wednesday.

The court is to start proceedings on merits of the case on October 22 against two defendants, Maxim Korneyev, co-owner of several construction companies, and Vyacheslav Karasev, an ex-deputy director of economics and finances of a regional structure of the Culture Ministry.

The defendants stay charged with 45 million rubles (about $700,000 at the present exchange rate) embezzlement; Korneyev has been additionally accused of embezzlement of 400 million rubles (about $6.2 million) during construction of the Moscow Art Theater building in St. Petersburg and renovation of another theater in the city.