MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) – A new criminal case over bribery was launched against ex-Mayor of Russia’s Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Vitaly Ivanenko, who had been earlier sentenced to 5.5 years in penal colony for graft, the Investigative Committee’s press service reports Wednesday.

According to investigators, from May to August 2018, Ivanenko received 2 million rubles (over $27,000) from a representative of one of the commercial organizations through mediators as a bribe for unhindered acceptance of the city’s improvements, priority in the conclusion of municipal contracts in future and common protection. One of the bribery mediators was the defendant’s brother, the statement reads.

In December, Ivanenko received 5.5 years in high-security prison and was fined 4 million rubles (about $55,000) for taking bribes. His brother was sentenced to 3.5 years in penal colony and a 2.2 million-ruble fine.

A court found that from January to April 2019, Ivanenko through mediators, including his brother, received a bribe totaling 700,000 rubles from a CEO of a commercial enterprise for creating conditions for the conclusion of municipal urban beautification contracts with the organization and common protection. Moreover, in 2019, the defendant received 200,000 rubles in bribes from a businessman through intermedia.