MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The head of a Moscow branch of Sberbank, Russia's largest state bank, is suspected of plundering over $180 million, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

"A criminal investigation has been opened against an organized group comprising the head of a Sberbank branch, its economic security officers and their accomplices, who plundered large amounts of money," said Alexei Shishko of the ministry's economic security department.

Shishko said the probe was being conducted in connection with large-scale fraud charges, but declined to give further details. Sberbank has not so far commented.