A Moscow court has sentenced a former governor of the Komi Republic, a region in Russia's northwest, to 11 years in prison after convicting him of fraud, money laundering, and bribe taking.
In a June 10 ruling, the Zamoskvoretsky district court also ruled that Vyacheslav Gaizer must pay a 160 million-ruble ($2.5 million) fine.
Gaizer and 18 other people, including the former speaker of the region's legislature, an ex-deputy governor, and several local businessmen, were arrested in September 2015.
Prosecutors charged that Gaizer led a "criminal group" that carried out a series of crimes in order to gain ownership of or control over several lucrative enterprises in the Komi region.
At the time of his arrest, investigators said that a search of Gaizer's office revealed a large sum of cash, documents related to offshore companies, and a collection of valuable wristwatches.
Gaizer was appointed to head the region in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev, and was then elected to the post in 2014.
Former Russian Governor Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison On Corruption Conviction
Former Komi regional Governor Vyacheslav Gaizer in court on June 10.