Prosecutors order to seize 32.5 bln rbl of Abyzov’s property

MOSCOW, Aug 7 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has filed a lawsuit with the demand to seize and turn into state revenue the property of former Open Government Minister Mikhail Abyzov worth 32.5 billion rubles, the authority said on Friday.

“The General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation filed a lawsuit to recover the sum of 32.5 billion rubles from Abyzov and the foreign companies controlled by him to the income of the Russian Federation. The suit was sent to the Gagarinsky District Court for consideration on the merits,” the statement said.

In March 2019, investigators opened a criminal case against Abyzov, detained him and pressed charges. Investigators believe that Abyzov embezzled 4 billion rubles from Siberian Energy Company and Regional Electric Grids, which produce and transmit electric power in the Novosibirsk Region, and sent the money abroad.

In August 2019, the second criminal case was opened. According to the investigation, the former minister earned 32 billion rubles as a result of illegal business activities. The investigation believes that Abyzov ran the companies belonging to him, while he served as minister.

In September 2019, the third case was initiated against Abyzov – about money laundering, fraud and the organization of a criminal group. All the assets arrested in the framework of this high-profile case are estimated by the investigation at 27 billion rubles.

Abyzov does not admit his guilt in the incriminated acts and believes that such large-scale arrests of property can be regarded as pressure on him.

(73.0397 rubles – U.S. $1)

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