MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's top investigative body says it has detained one of Russia's most prominent theater directors and is pressing charges against him.

The Investigative Committee said in a statement Tuesday that it suspects Kirill Serebrennikov of embezzling about $1 million of government funds that were earmarked for a production at his theater.

Serebrennikov, known for bold productions that poke fun at Russia's growing social conservatism, was briefly detained and questioned in May but the investigators stopped short of saying they suspect he was involved.

Serebrennikov has denied any wrongdoing. His supporters have dismissed the investigation as payback from the Kremlin's conservative circles for his pithy satire of Russian officialdom.