MOSCOW, February 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's...

"It may be said without exaggeration that the best finance and economy experts, including the incumbent and former finance minister deputies, were involved in a plan in recent years to embezzle large amounts of state funds," said Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigation Committee at the Prosecutor's Office.

Referring to the case of deputy finance minister Sergei Storchak, the official said the probe would be completed in the near future.

Storchak, who oversaw foreign debt talks at the ministry and was a key figure in Russia's talks with the Paris Club, was detained in November 2007 and accused of attempting to embezzle $43 million from the state.

Storchak was released in October 2008 from custody on a pledge not to leave the country. He has received steadfast support from Finance Minster Alexei Kudrin.