MOSCOW, March 12 (RAPSI) – The Krasnogorsk City Court in the Moscow Region has sentenced Mekhman Kerimov, a defendant in the murder case involving Russian tycoon Telman Ismailov, to 13 years in prison, the Moscow Regional Court’s press service has told RAPSI.

The defendant has been convicted of double homicide and illegal possession and trafficking of weapons. He has earlier pleaded guilty.

According investigators, Ismailov organized the murder of businessman Vladimir Savkin and founder of Lublino-Motors auto service centre Yury Brylev in May 2016. Two Ismailov’s brothers Rafik and Vagif allegedly assisted him in planning the double homicide. Kerimov was considered to be the killer. Rafik Ismailov and Kerimov were placed in detention while Telman Ismailov and his brother Vagif were arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list.

The businessman could face life imprisonment if convicted.

Telman Ismailov, who controls AST Group, is one of Russia’s richest men. In 2009, he clashed with law enforcement authorities over the Cherkizovsky outdoor market, which evolved from a mere flea market into an industrial-scale distribution hub for Chinese imports during the oil boom. The market was closed after sanitary authorities found major violations.

In March 2017, the Moscow Commercial Court declared Ismailov bankrupt. Later, the Tenth Commercial Court of Appeals upheld this ruling.