Russian investigators say the damage caused by the detained governor of the northwestern Komi region and his accomplices amounts to billions of rubles.
Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said on September 21 that the ongoing investigation will give a more exact figure soon.
Markin added that Governor Vyacheslav Gaizer is not being very cooperative with investigators.
Gaizer and 18 other people, including the speaker of the region's legislature, a deputy governor, and several local businessmen, were arrested on September 19 on charges of fraud and heading a criminal gang.
A search of Gaizer's office allegedly revealed a large sum of cash, documents related to offshore companies, and a collection of valuable watches.
Gaizer was appointed to head Komi in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev. He was elected to the post in 2014.
