Lieutenant General Vladimir Ganeyev, chief of security with the Emergency Situations Ministry, was detained in a high-profile operation in 2003 and convicted September 6 of organizing a criminal group, abuse of office and falsifying investigation documents over a period of six years.
Attorney Vladimir Samoilov said, "We are asking for the verdict to be annulled and Ganeyev's criminal prosecution ended because there was no crime in his actions."
Samoilov said they had only filed a short appeal against the verdict, issued by a Moscow district military court, and an extended version would be lodged after the defense team studied the court minutes.
Ganeyev's accomplices - six officers from the Moscow Police Department - were given prison terms ranging from 15 to 20 years. The court also stripped the convicts of state decorations and ranks.
According to investigators, Ganeyev and his accomplices formed a criminal group in 1997, extorting large sums of money from businessmen after threatening them with violence, illegal prosecution and the obstruction of their businesses. They used the money to buy real estate in Russia and overseas and personal cars.
Police seized $3 million alone when bank deposit boxes rented of their behalf were searched, prosecutors said earlier. They also said four other suspects in the case had been detained and one put on the wanted list.
