MOSCOW, March 9 (RAPSI) – The Supreme Court of Russia has upheld its previous ruling to preliminary terminate State Duma lawmaker’s status for Ilya Ponomaryov charged with embezzlement at the Skolkovo Foundation, RAPSI learnt in the courtroom on Thursday.

On November 24, the Supreme Court dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by Ponomaryov against the State Duma’s ruling on preliminary termination of his MP status.

Earlier, the lower house’s official website has published a report over a meeting that happened on June 10 that resulted in preliminary termination of Ponomaryov’s status. Ex-lawmaker’s absence during the parliamentary hearings was announced as a reason for such termination.

Investigators claim that Ponomaryov assisted former Skolkovo Vice President Alexey Beltyukov in the embezzlement of over 22 million rubles (over $325,100) in foundation money. Beltyukov allegedly paid Ponomaryov $750,000 of the foundation's money, without management approval, for lectures and research projects between February 2011 and February 2012.

Investigation was launched into Beltyukov's actions to analyze the subject, the content and the academic value of the lectures that Ponomaryov was contracted to provide for 22 million rubles. On December 7, Russian bailiffs recovered 2.7 million rubles’ debt (about $40,000) from Ponomaryov.

The Investigative Committee reported in May 2015 that it has opened an embezzlement case against Beltyukov.

In August 2013, Moscow's Gagarinsky District Court ruled that Ponomaryov must repay 2.7 million rubles to the Skolkovo Foundation, Russia's high-tech development center, for an unreasonably overpriced service. The Moscow City Court upheld the ruling in November.

Ponomaryov, who is living abroad, has denied all charges as politically motivated. He has not paid out the debt voluntary and the bailiffs were ordered to enforce the court decision. As previously reported, the bailiffs have seized Ponomaryov’s assets. Moreover, the money in payment for the debt was withheld from his salary.