UPDATE: Ananyev brothers accused of 66 bln rbl, $575 mln fraud

(Rewrites throughout to add details on accusations)

MOSCOW, Sep 10 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Investigative Committee has accused former owners of Promsvyazbank, Alexei and Dmitry Ananyev, of embezzling over 66 billion rubles and U.S. $575 million, according to information obtained by PRIME in the Basmanny District Court on Tuesday.

“A case is being investigated against the Ananyevs for organized-group embezzlement of Promsvyazbank assets in the amount of over 66 billion rubles and $575 million and legalizing them,” an investigator said at the court’s meeting.

The court’s spokeswoman Yunona Tsareva said that the committee has also asked for arrest in absentia of the Ananyev brothers.

“Motions of the investigative authorities on arrest in absentia as a restrictive measure for Ananyev Alexei Nikolayevich and Ananyev Dmitry Nikolayevich accused under Part 4 of the Article 160 of the Criminal Code (embezzlement) have been received,” Tsareva said.

The businessmen, who, according to the motions, have fled Russia, can face up to 10 years in prison.

The investigator added that another investigation into embezzlement “by unidentified persons” of Promsvyazbank assets “in the amount of at least 102.2 billion rubles” and “infliction of material damage to the bank in the amount of at least 100 billion rubles” is also underway.

The government is creating a bank to handle defense order contracts in the conditions of Western sanctions, based on Promsvyazbank, which was bailed out by the central bank from December 2017 through May 2018.

(65.5698 rubles – U.S. $1)

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