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Ex-Minister Abyzov arrested on charges of fraud, creating organized crime network

According to the court decision, Abyzov will be under arrest until May 25

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. The Basmanny Court of Moscow took into custody ex-minister of open government affairs Mikhail Abyzov with charges of criminal community creation and theft of 4 bln rubles ($62 mln), TASS reports from the court room.

"The request of the investigation on selection of custodial restraint as the restrictive measure for Abyzov is satisfied," Judge Natalia Dudar said in the ruling.

According to the court decision, Abyzov will be under arrest until May 25. Attorneys will appeal against the court decision.

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According to investigators, between April 2011 and November 2014, Abyzov as a beneficiary owner of a number of offshore commercial organizations created and headed a criminal network. Together with others, he siphoned off 4 bln rubles ($62 mln) belonging to the Siberian Energy Company and Regional Power Networks, which produced and supplied electricity in Russia’s Novosibirsk Region. The Investigative Committee believes that the stolen funds were entirely channeled abroad. Investigators suggest that the actions of the criminal participants "jeopardized the sustainable economic development and the energy security of a number of the country’s regions.".

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