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Kobzon denied US visa again

In May-June he was going to give concerts in New York, Chicago and Boston. The concerts were not held
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, April 25 (Itar-Tass) —— People’s Artist of the Soviet Union Iosif Kobzon is again denied a US visa, which was banned for him 18 years ago, a source in Kobzon’s office told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

This year is the jubilee one for Kobzon, as he will turn 75 on September 11. Kobzon was planning to celebrate this date with a farewell tour. In May-June he was going to give concerts in New York, Chicago and Boston. The concerts were not held.

Last time Kobzon went on guest performances to the United States in 1994. A year later the US State Department annulled his multiple entry visa, substantiating this step with Kobzon’s possible involvement in illegal operations with some medicines subject to control.

The unofficial reason for this decision was probable ties between the singer and Russian organized criminal groups. Kobzon dismissed these rumours repeatedly.

All his attempts to get the entry visa were futile. “On January 12, 2012, the organizers of the guest performances received a petition, which the US authorities approved for Iosif Kobzon to get a P3 entry visa for his guest performances in the US,” the press service recalled.