Russian law enforcement officials have detained Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov on suspicion of taking a bribe, the Investigative Committee said on April 23.
The committee announced the arrest of Ivanov on Telegram but provided no further details of the accusations against him, saying only that he is suspected of taking an especially large bribe -- a criminal offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The 49-year-old was the subject of an investigation published in December 2022 by Aleksei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).
It said that Ivanov oversaw and profited from construction projects in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was heavily bombarded and occupied by Russian forces in the first months of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The investigation showed that Ivanov and his wife, Svetlana, spent more than 1 million euros ($1.07 million) on vacations, renting villas and yachts, jewelry, and clothes. It also showed that the personal bills of Ivanov’s wife were paid by a company engaged in the restoration of Mariupol.
According to the FBK, which has been banned in Russia for alleged extremism, the minister divorced his wife to allow her to bypass EU sanctions.
"Today is a good day," said Maria Pevchikh, the head of investigations at the foundation, in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
"The person involved in our investigation was detained on suspicion of bribery. We talked about the glamorous and luxurious life of Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov back at the end of 2022."
Ivanov was appointed deputy defense minister by presidential decree in May 2016.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a report on Ivanov's detention had been presented to President Vladimir Putin, according to Russian news agencies.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had been informed in advance of his detention, he said.
Ivanov's duties included overseeing housing for troops and the construction and overhaul of ministry facilities. Ivanov has been designated for sanctions by United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada.
Forbes magazine listed Ivanov as one of the wealthiest men in Russia's security structures.