MOSCOW, May 12 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – The Moscow City Court on Thursday sentenced former detective of the Interior Ministry’s Main Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Directorate Astemir Sokurov to 6 years in prison for attempted large-scale fraud through abuse of his office, RAPSI learned in the courtroom.

The court found that in spring of 2015 Sokurov used deceit to make a former deputy of the CEO of Moscow energy company, MOESK, to transfer to him $500,000, promising to assist in dropping an investigation into the deputy’s activities and criminal charges brought against him.

Sokurov has also lost his rank of colonel.