MOSCOW, September 27. /TASS/. Police have confiscated 13 million rubles, $170,000 and €5,000 during the search of an automobile belonging to a high-profile bribery suspect, Dmitry Zakharchenko, who is a high-ranking official from the anti-corruption department of Russia’s Ministry of Interior Affairs. Zakharchenko has already been indicted, with bribery among the charges he faces.
"During the search of Zakharchenko’s office, a key to an Acura car was found in a trash bin. Upon searching his car, Zakharchenko’s passport, 13 mln rubles, $170,000 and €5,000 were seized," the prosecutor said at a hearing in the Moscow city court where the lawyers for the defendant filed appeal against his arrest, which is being reviewed on Tuesday.
Zakharchenko is charged with violating three articles of the Criminal Code: "Official misconduct" (article 285), "Obstruction of justice and preliminary investigation" (article 294) and "Accepting a bribe" (article 290).
The Moscow Central Investigation Department of the Russian Investigation Committee has been investigating this case. During the search of Zakharchenko’s apartment, the police impounded large sums of money in various currencies, totaling around 8.5 billion rubles (roughly $132 million).