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Moscow Region’s ex-finance minister pleads not guilty to embezzlement charges

On January 3, Alexei Kuznetsov was extradited to Russia

Alexei Kuznetsov Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation/TASS

Alexei Kuznetsov

© Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation/TASS

MOSCOW, January 5. /TASS/. Former Moscow Region Finance Minister Alexei Kuznetsov extradited from France to Russia accused of fraud and embezzlement pleaded not guilty during the interrogation, as follows from a video tape of the interrogation released by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation on Saturday.

"No, not guilty," he said when asked a respective question by the investigator.

On January 3, Kuznetsov accompanied by officers of Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service and the Russian Interpol Bureau was extradited to Russia.

On Friday, the Investigative Committee indicted Kuznetsov for committing fraud, legalizing property acquired as a result of committing crimes, and embezzlement. According to investigators, Kuznetsov and his accomplices inflicted damage on the Moscow Region government, housing and utility enterprises and the Mosobltransinvest company to the tune of over 14 bln rubles ($206.6 mln).

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