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A deputy of Primorye’s Duma was arrested on accusations of swindling and embezzlement, a press statement from the regional Prosecutor’s Office reported Tuesday.

Dmitry Mudrov, 33, was detained in Moscow on March 16 ‘in an attempt to abscond’ and then escorted to Vladivostok, the statement said.

The investigation had revealed that Mudrov, who is head of the department controlling scientific and research marine vessels for the Far Eastern branch of Russia’s Academy of Sciences, made contracts for ship rentals at low prices and then illegally sub-rented the vessels to a company for sums 20 to 50 times higher than declared in the contracts, pocketing the difference.

The money embezzled by Mudrov totaled 6.5 million rubles ($248,730), the statement reported.

The criminal case against Mudrov was launched in April 2006, six months prior to his election to the regional Duma. Since then, Mudrov has been under pledge not leave the city.

The deputy may face up to a ten-year imprisonment, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Primorye’s Duma deputies addressed on Monday an inquiry to the regional Prosecutor’s Office urging it to provide detailed information on the case, a press statement from the legislative body said.

According to Vice Head of the Duma’s legislative department Vladimir Sokolov, Mudrov will cease to have a deputy status should he be found guilty, the statement noted.

On March 7, Vladivostok Mayor Vladimir Nikolayev was put under arrest on charges of abuse of office and embezzlement. Nikolayev, who has been kept in an isolation ward and denies all allegations, faces charges of misspending funds from the city budget for personal security guards and private air travel.

Earlier in March, prosecutors launched another five related criminal investigations into Vladivostok’s administrative activities, including the case against the city's deputy mayor Igor Golubev, who was dismissed from his position by the city’s court on the grounds of illegally spending 20 million rubles ($770,000) of the city’s budget.