MOSCOW, June 24 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Nikulinsky District Court on Thursday sentenced lawyer Alexander Vershinin defending several defendants in notorious cases to 2.5 years in penal colony for mediation in bribery, the court’s press service told RAPSI.

He was also prohibited from legal practice for 3 years.

Another defendant, developer Alexey Dobrynin was found guilty of large scale fraud and received 3.5 years behind bars.

Investigators claimed the lawyer attempted to take money from his client promising to drop a criminal case against the latter. Vershinin pleaded partially guilty.

The attorney represented the interests of ex-Minister for Open Government affairs Mikhail Abyzov charged with the 4 billion-ruble ($64 million) embezzlement, defended alleged crime boss Oleg Medvedev, known as Oleg Shishkanov, bankers Alexey and Dmitry Ananyev. He also was a defense lawyer for convicted ex-top investigator Mikhail Maksimenko.

Vershinin also defended ex-minister Alexey Ulyukayev during his arrest and represented the interests of ex-policeman Denis Yevsyukov sentenced to life for mass murder.