MOSCOW, July 6 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has scheduled the sentencing of lawmaker Vadim Belousov, who stands charged with receiving over 3 billion rubles (over $50 million at the current exchange rate) in bribes, for July 20, the court’s press service has told RAPSI.

In June, prosecutors asked a judge to sentence the defendant to 14 years in jail, fine him 500 million rubles and ban from public office for 15 years. 

Investigators claim that from May 2010 to January 2014, Belousov and two alleged accomplices were paid by Autobahn Holding for protection of business in Moscow and the city of Chelyabinsk.  

Mikhail Yurevich, former Chelyabinsk region governor, is one of the alleged accomplices. He was put on international wanted list after he left his post in January 2014 and managed to flee justice. 

Belousov was detained in March 2019 when he showed up for questioning. He had been deprived earlier of immunity as a lawmaker of the State Duma, parliament's lower house.

Margarita Butakova, a former chief accountant of the First Bread-baking Complex, was also detained. Prosecutors sought 4 years in prison for her and a 500 million rubles fine.