Sergei Mavrodi, of MMM pyramid scheme notoriety, was finally accepted as a State Duma deputy Wednesday, more than 11 weeks after his election in the Mytischi constituency near Moscow.


The legislature had been reluctant to welcome Mavrodi, widely seen as a crooked dealer who cheated millions of Russians out of their savings, into their fold. On Dec. 22, the deputies failed to approve Mavrodi's election, with only the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party supporting him in force.


After the Duma denied Mavrodi its approval, his right to speak and vote in parliament was understood to be suspended. Mavrodi himself, however, appeared far from eager to use that right: He has not appeared in parliament since his election, standing up reporters at several announced press conferences.


Since Mavrodi's situation was unprecedented in Russian parliamentary practice, a team of top Duma lawyers was instructed to look into it. Their verdict released Friday said unequivocally that Duma approval was not needed for Mavrodi to claim deputy status.


"The confirmation of status by the State Duma is based merely on custom," said a statement signed by two prominent lawyers -- deputy speaker Mikhail Mityukov and Justice Minister Valentin Kovalyov. "The Duma's right to confirm or deny deputy status is not recorded in any existing legislative act."


Mityukov, however, suggested that the legislature vote on Mavrodi in order not to break with tradition. A mere 150 deputies voted for confirming Mavrodi's election, though speaker Ivan Rybkin told deputies before the ballot that they had "no choice but to vote 'yes'." Two hundred and twenty-six votes are usually required to pass a resolution.


Several conservative deputies appealed to Rybkin to consider the matter closed without a ballot.


"If we start voting on each of us, I don't think any of us will get 226 votes," said Vyacheslav Kiselyov of the Liberal Democratic Party.


"Our opinion of Mavrodi does not matter," added nationalist deputy Sergei Baburin. "It is a dangerous precedent of the parliamentary majority blocking the decision of voters."


Rybkin then said there would be no further voting and that he would issue Mavrodi a parliamentary ID card, entitling him to vote.