MOSCOW, January 13 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Koptevsky District Court has scheduled a 2-billion-ruble embezzlement case (about $30 million) against the owner of Optima Development construction company Albert Khudoyan for January 25, RAPSI has learnt in the court’s press service.

In October 2020, the court  returned the case to prosecutors because of violations committed during the pretrial probe but the Moscow City Court later invalidated the ruling and ordered the first instance to hear the matter.

According to Khudoyan’s lawyer Sergey Chizhikov, the businessman and other defendant, CEO of Aviacity company Sergey Konoplev, were ordered to be held under house arrest.

The defendants stand charged with embezzling several land plots from Aviacity. Investigators have estimated damage allegedly caused at 2 billion rubles. Khudoyan pleads not guilty and says the case against him is hostile takeover of his development company.

Optima Development has been engaged in the construction of commercial and residential projects since 2007, the company’s website reads.