VELIKY NOVGOROD, January 12 - RAPSI. The court is expected to hear on January 31 an appeal filed in the case of Splav corporation head Vladimir Fyodorov convicted for extortion and other crimes, the court told RIA Novosti.

The regional court earlier suspended Fyodorov's cassation appeal five times (on September 27, November 1, December 1 and 27 and January 10) for different reasons.

Splav corporation with 3,500 personnel manufactures inter alia nuclear power engineering, gas and defense equipment.

Fyodorov got national awards and was elected to the regional legislature.

Investigators opened the case against Fyodorov on October 9, 2007. He has been kept in custody since May 12, 2008.

According to investigators Fyodorov defrauded Dom Buhgaltera company of its assets worth over 4.7 million rubles ($146,000) in 2000 and laundered the money.

In addition, they charged Fyodorov with extorting a 20-percent stake in the Engineering Plants Holding amounting to 34.6 million rubles ($1.074 million) and defrauding it of a 19.8-percent interest worth 441.7 million rubles ($13.7 million) in 2007.