Russian-Armenian businessman and benefactor Levon Hayrapetyan, who is under house arrest in Moscow, underwent surgery on Tuesday, Hayrapetyan’s close friend, Artur Safaryan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Levon Hayrapetyan’s bladder cancer was not discovered just now; it was [diagnosed] a long time [ago].

“He was transferred to hospital on [Tuesday,] December 9 for surgery. And surgery was conducted in connection with the cancer,” Safaryan said.

A Moscow district court on Wednesday extended Hayrapetyan’s pre-trial detention period for four more months. But the Russian-Armenian businessman was not in the courtroom, since he was hospitalized on Tuesday.

Levon Hayrapetyan was detained in a Moscow airport on July 15 and subsequently arrested. On July 24, the Russian Federation Investigation Committee brought two criminal charges against him: embezzlement or misuse, and money laundering. On September 12, the Russian-Armenian businessman was charged with fraud, too. On October 3, however, a Moscow district court ruled in favor of releasing Hayrapetyan from prison and placing him under house arrest. Even though Levon Hayrapetyan has health problems, he was kept in prison for a long time. Hayrapetyan’s pre-trial detention period will terminate on April 15, 2015.