ST. PETERSBURG, July 15 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – Investigation into the former rector of the St. Petersburg Agrarian University Victor Yefimov charged with embezzling of 28.6 million rubles (over $450,000) has been completed, RAPSI has been told in the United press service of St. Petersburg courts.

Earlier, a court extended the defendant’s detention until August 3. Indictment against him has been forwarded to prosecutors for approval, according to the press service.

Yefimov pleads not guilty.

According to case filings, acting as a university rector Yefimov in 2011 ordered his subordinate to sign a 36-million-ruble (about $600,000) research work contract with the Northwest development and attracting investment agency to improve the quality of training of agrarian specialists. Investigators believe that the defendant knew for a fact that the terms of the contract would not be performed. The autonomous nonprofit organization transferred the full sum of money; Yefimov allegedly fingered 28.6 million rubles.

As reported earlier, in the spring of 2018, one of the defendants, CEO of the Northwest development and attracting investment agency, Slava Khodko was sentenced to 2 years in prison. Yefimov initially was a witness in the case.