Journalist arrested for blackmailing high-ranking official

A journalist from Moscow-based newspaper “Nezavisimaya gazeta” has been arrested. Boris Zemtsov is charged with blackmailing “a high-ranking government official”.

Russia's Deputy Agriculture Minister was reportedly the victim of the alleged blackmail attempt.

Investigators claim the journalist extorted $US 30,000 a month in exchange for not publishing allegedly compromising information.

The reporter was detained red-handed while receiving the money.