Russia’s Rosatom unit CEO detained in US for taking bribes

WASHINGTON, Nov 5 (PRIME) -- Vadim Mikerin, CEO of TENAM Corp, the U.S. unit of Russian nuclear materials exporter Techsnabexport, part of Rosatom, was detained in the U.S. on conspiracy charges for causing financial damage to own parent company.

Mikerin, 55, was detained in Washington outskirts on October 29, a spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in the U.S. said on October 31.

Mikerin allegedly received U.S. $1.693 million in kickbacks for the signing of $33 million contracts for uranium transportation from Russia to Maryland-based firm Transport Logistics International on a non-competitive basis, Maryland’s prosecutor’s office said.

Mikerin could face a 20-year imprisonment if found guilty, the prosecutors said. Three U.S. citizens – Daren Condrey and Carol Condrey, heads of TLI, and Boris Rubizhevsky, who served as consultant to Mikerin, could also face up to 20 years imprisonment if found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy.

Rosatom doesn’t rule out that the detention of Mikerin is of a political character, Rosatom’s official representative Sergei Novikov said. He also said that the Russian side has not received reliable data about economic damage brought by Mikerin.

“Taking into account the released documents about (FBI) agents’ attempt to bend Vadim Mikerin to cooperation in exchange for freedom, the political character of harassment comes to mind,” Novikov said.

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