Colonel General Khalil Arslanov, former deputy chief of Russia’s General Staff, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Monday after being convicted of bribery and embezzlement.

He was also ordered to pay a fine equal to twice the amount of the bribes he accepted — more than 24 million rubles, or roughly $305,000. Arslanov was arrested in February 2020. Others charged in the case included the former head of the Russian military’s procurement department, Colonel Pavel Kutakhov, and military retiree Igor Yakovlev. Three other defendants, including Arslanov’s former subordinate Major General Alexander Ogloblin, pleaded guilty and reached plea bargains.

According to prosecutors, Arslanov and his accomplices orchestrated defense contracts with the company Voentelecom to supply satellite equipment and monitoring centers at inflated prices, embezzling 1.6 billion rubles ($20.3 million). Arslanov was also accused of extorting 12 million rubles ($152,500) from the former director of the Yaroslavl Radio Plant. Arslanov maintains his innocence.

Khalil Arslanov joined the Soviet military in 1981, serving in a tank division in positions including communications chief of an artillery battalion, commander of a control and artillery reconnaissance battery, and communications battalion commander. From 2009, he served as communications chief and deputy head of the Ground Forces Main Staff for communications. From 2013, he headed Russia’s Main Communications Directorate as deputy chief of the General Staff.

According to the newspaper Kommersant, Arslanov participated in Russia’s military operation in Syria, where he was responsible for establishing a network of satellite communication stations. Arslanov received multiple medals for his military service.