MOSCOW, May 25 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld detention of ex-lawmaker of the lower house of Russia’s parliament Denis Volchek charged with attempted serious fraud, the court’s press service told RAPSI.

The former official will stay detained until June 22, as well as another defendant, entrepreneur Zurab Pliyev, whose detention was also prolonged.

Investigators believe Pliyev and Volchek tried to make a Moscow entrepreneur pay them 1.4 million euros alleging they could put an end to his criminal prosecution.