A Polish court ruled on Wednesday to extradite to Russia former Moscow region deputy prosecutor Alexander Ignatenko over his alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar gambling operation.
It also extended Ignatenko’s custody by another four months.
Ignatenko's lawyers said they would appeal the ruling.
He has seven days to appeal the ruling. If it is upheld by an appeals court, it is to be confirmed by the justice minister before the extradition goes ahead.
Ignatenko was previously denied bail. The presiding judge said he was a flight risk as he had been on the run from Russian justice, used a forged Latvian passport, does not permanently reside in Poland and is facing up to 12 years in prison in Russia if convicted.
According to law enforcement authorities, high-ranking officials in the Russian Prosecutor's Office and the Interior Ministry were involved in the casino operations, which generated $5 to $10 million in revenue monthly.
Gambling has been illegal in Russia - except in four designated zones - since 2009, but is thought to flourish in a huge undercover business.
