MOSCOW, May 25 - RAPSI. Former head of a town in Moscow region Viktor Musagitov has been convicted of abuse of power and fraud in allocating municipal land, the Investigative Committee reported on Friday.

Musagitov, 50, leased out lands worth 17 million rubles ($537,500) to his relatives and friends for the period of ten years, investigators said.

In July 2009, he found a buyer for these lands and demanded 8 million rubles ($253,000) to re-register tenancy rights. Of this sum, on July 22 $32,000 went to him personally, the Investigative Committee reported.

A while after receiving the money, Musagitov allegedly convinced the business that the registration procedure was still underway and that he needed more money to bribe public servants to wrap up the deal.

He then received a further 150,000 rubles ($4,700) from the businessman. Musagitov was detained on September 15, 2010 on the receipt of 8 million rubles from a mediator, the committee reported.