ST. PETERSBURG, August 16 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – The Oktyabrsky District Court of St. Petersburg sentenced ex-chairman of the St. Petersburg office of Russia’s Union of Youth Dmitry Lyadov to 2.5 years in prison for embezzlement, RAPSI learnt in the court Friday.

As the defendant was under house arrest from October 2017 to February 2018, and then he was placed in detention, the court held that Lyadov had served the sentence, and released him. The man is only to pay a 60,000-ruble fine ($900), a court representative said.

Another defendant, Lyadov’s former assistant, who concurrently performed the duties of the North Capital youth initiative supporting fund’s president, Marina Dementyeva, received a 2-year suspended sentence and a 40,000-ruble fine.

According to investigators, the accomplices have stolen budget funds worth 807,000 rubles ($12,000) allocated for implementation of a project concerning development of effective models and forms of the youth involvement in labor and business activity.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Moreover, in 2016, Lyadov attempted to embezzle 545,000 rubles ($8,000) from the Youth Policy Committee’s regional department by submitting forged documents for obtaining a subsidy to offset the costs allegedly sustained during realization of another project, the statement reads.

Furthermore, according to case papers, Dementyeva ensured conclusion of a 478,000-ruble ($7,000) contract on holding a patriotic event between the Youth Policy Committee and a businessman. However, the action was not held and Dementyeva submitted forged documents allegedly confirming the fulfillment of obligations.

The Youth Policy Committee revealed embezzlement attempts in both cases.