Yury Sleptsov, mayor of the town of Voskresensk in the Moscow region, was detained for extorting a bribe of more than 540,000 rubles ($17,700), Interfax reported Wednesday.
Sleptsov demanded the money and a 25 percent cut of profits from an unspecified local organization that wanted to obtain a permit to use the town’s plumbing system, the report said, citing the Investigative Committee.
The mayor was detained Tuesday when he accepted a 200,000 ruble ($6,500) installment of the bribe, the committee said, adding that investigators would ask a court to place Sleptsov in custody.
Sleptsov faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted on graft charges.
(MT)
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