MOSCOW, August 23 - RAPSI. Pavel Zabelin, was sentenced to nine years in prison, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

Zabelin, the former Moscow Youth Palace (MDM Palace) general director, was convicted of large-scale embezzlement. Nevertheless, Zabelin currently resides in Estonia where he fled several years ago and obtained a residence permit.

Zabelin was found guilty of embezzling MDM Palace shares worth over 260 million rubles ($8.89 million) in January 2011.

This is the second case in absentia against Zabelin. In February 2010 Zabelin was convicted of fraud involving the manipulation of MDM stock, the spokesman said.

RAPSI News Service