MOSCOW, October 21 (RAPSI) – Prosecutors have lodged a new claim against ex-governor of Mari El Republic Leonid Markelov charged with corruption seeking to forfeit his assets worth 111 million rubles ($1.4 million) to the state, the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office reports.

A prosecutoral check revealed that Markelov and an organization under his control had property in Ioshkar Ola, the capital of Mari El, namely an entertainment center’s building priced at more than 111 million rubles, the statement reads. Information on the building confirming that it had been legally purchased was not submitted, the statement reads.

This September, a court in Russia’s Ulyanovsk forfeited to the state assets worth 374.8 million rubles ($5 million) belonging to Markelov. Earlier, a court in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod recovered over 2.2 billion rubles (about $30 million) from him in favor of the state.  The court levied 120 property items, 16 cars, luxury wristwatch worth 1 million rubles, over 8.5 million rubles, $224,000 and 660,000 euros upon a motion filed by prosecutors. Moreover, land plots, apartments, luxury goods, money and shares were ordered to be forfeited to the state.

Currently, Markelov is on trial on bribery allegations. Initially, the case against him was to be considered in the Republic of Mari El, but the Supreme Court of Russia changed its territorial jurisdiction and forwarded the case to Nizhny Novgorod.

Investigators believe that Markelov acting as the republic’s governor received through Kozhanova 235 million rubles from the founder of Akashevskaya factory as a bribe for common protection and assistance in the property payment of funds provided by the state support for development of the agricultural complex.

According to defense lawyer Sergey Sevruk, Markelov is also a defendant in another criminal case over illegal possession of ammunition. Media also reported that there is the third case against the former official over abuse of power.

Markelov pleads not guilty to all accusations.