Russian reg court arrests VimpelCom ex-head Slobodin in absentia

MOSCOW, Sep 15 (PRIME) -- A Komi Republic court in Russia’s northwest has arrested a former CEO of domestic mobile operator VimpelCom, Mikhail Slobodin, in absentia, an aide to the court’s chairperson said Thursday.

“The court ordered that Mikhail Slobodin be arrested in absentia. The period of the arrest is set at two months from the day of detention,” the aide said.

Slobodin, who headed VimpelCom from 2013 until September 5, resigned following his involvement in a bribery investigation into activities of his prior employer, power utility T Plus, residing in the republic.

The Investigative Committee is looking into actions of former and current managers of T Plus, a legal successor of the reorganized KES Holding, headed by Slobodin in 2002–2010. The law enforcement authorities suspect the company’s managers of having handed more than 800 million rubles in bribes to officials of the republic to impose high tariffs for electric power.

At the moment of his resignation Slobodin was on a business trip outside Russia. He was put on the federal wanted list on September 7 on a request of investigators.

(64.9737 rubles – U.S. $1)

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