MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) - A Moscow court on Wednesday sanctioned the arrest of senior officials of the Federal Tax Service and Central Bank, who are charged with receiving a $1 million bribe. If Oleg Alexeyev and Alexei Mishin remain at large, the court ruled that the former "may continue his criminal activities and put pressure on witnesses," and the latter may "prevent the establishment of truth."
"Given his position and connections, Alexeyev may influence the investigation," the judge said.
The judge said that Alexeyev and Mishin might appeal against this ruling to the Moscow City Court within three days.
The officials may face between seven to 12 years in prison.
The Federal Security Service and the Tax Service arrested the two officials in the Balchug Kempinski hotel in central Moscow Tuesday on suspicion of having received a $1 million bribe from an un-named representative of Moscow-based Rossiisky Kapital bank.
Ilya Malofeyev, a senior investigator with the prosecutor's office, said more arrests might follow. "Investigators will inquire into other peoples' involvement in this crime."
Rossiisky Kapital refused to comment on the court ruling.
