Fashion designer Sasha Varlamov stands trial

Varlamov's case will be heard in Minsk's Leninski district court.

The trial begins at 10:30 a.m., Euroradio reports.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Belarus sent the criminal case against Alexander Varlamov, who is charged with violating 5 criminal articles, to the Minsk city court on November 30.

Varlamov was charged with large-scale fraud (part 4 of article 209), large-scale embezzlement (part 3 of article 210), appropriation of property (part 2 of article 211), tax evasion (part 1 of article 243) and abuse of office (part 3 of article 424).

The Investigation Committee reports that more than 800 people were questioned in the case as witnesses. 353 people were found victims. According to investigators, the damage caused by Varlamov's criminal actions exceeds 1.2bn Belarusian rubles.

Varlamov, the director of Sasha Varlamov Fashion School, former head of the Center of modern style and fashion Universum Models in the culture directorate at Belarusian State University, former deputy head of the organising committee of national fashion and photo festival Fashion Mill and head of the Centre of Youth Fashion at Belarusian State University, was taken into custody on May 20, 2011.