Russian authorities have arrested the brother of a top official from the Ministry of Health in Dagestan, who is accused of embezzlement related to the procurement of coronavirus tests worth over 100 million rubles.
The Kirovsky District Court in Makhachkala has ordered the detention of the former parliamentarian for two months pending trial. According to the statement from the republic’s press office, he was involved in a scheme to defraud public funds during the procurement of rapid antigen tests between November 2021 and March 2022. The alleged fraud involved collaborating with an ex-adviser to the head of the republic and other unidentified individuals.