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Oboronservis case defendant causes $90 million damage

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Court upholds house arrest of Oboronservis case suspect

MOSCOW, July 01. /ITAR-TASS/. The actions of defendant in the Obosonservis case Yevgenia Vasilyeva, former head of the Russian Defense Ministry's property department, have caused a $90 billion damage, spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee (IC) Vladimir Markin said in connection with the start of court hearings in the case.

“The money had been received as a result of sale at understated prices of most liquid real estate items, shares and other property of Oboronservis, with subsequent legalization of the criminal proceeds through controlled companies,” the IC representative said, stressing that “these facts were established not only by the investigators who were painstakingly gathering evidence, but also by numerous experts who confirmed the conclusions of the investigation in economic expert examinations.”

Oboronservis is a commercial organization subordinate to the Defense Ministry. It was created for relieving the military of economic functions. The corruption scandal involving the company and its founder, former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, has continued since late 2012. Serdyukov was amnestied, and one of the suspects in the Oboronservis case who had pleaded guilty in June was sentenced to three years in prison.

Incumbent Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the company would be restructured.

Military prosecutors approved the indictment on 13 episodes of crime of which Vasilyeva is accused, including fraud, abuse of power and money laundering.

The larger Oboronservis case details 41 episodes of crime, and the probe has not been completed yet. Vasilyeva's case is being investigated separately. Her property worth $100 million has been placed under arrest.

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