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Kidnappers of Kaspersky's Son Found Guilty

Four men have been found guilty by Khoroshevsky District Court of kidnapping the son of businessman Yevgeny Kaspersky, a news report said Monday.

The defendants, Semyon Gromov, Oleg Mayukov, Nikolai Savelyev and his son Nikolai, had been charged with kidnapping Ivan Kaspersky on April 19, 2011 near Strogino metro station, Interfax reported.

According to the case materials, in March 2011 the four suspects, along with secret services officer Alexei Ustimchuk, plotted to kidnap the son of the Kaspersky Lab software company's owner, Ivan, for a ransom of 3 million euros.

Ivan Kaspersky was held for five days at a safe-house in Moscow region until he was rescued by the police, the Investigative Committee's official spokesman Vladimir Markin said.

Police managed to detain Gromov during the rescue operation, while Ustimchuk and both Savelyevs were detained on the same day at a traffic police check-point on their way to Moscow for a meeting with the hostage's parents.

Savelyev junior and Gromov denied their involvement in the crime, while the other two defendants admitted partial guilt.

Earlier, prosecutors asked the court to sentence Mayukov to seven years imprisonment, Gromov to 11 years, and both Savelyevs to 12 years.

Ustimchuk had made a plea bargain with the investigators and on Aug. 30 a military court sentenced him to 4.5 years imprisonment in a maximum security penal colony, Interfax reported.

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