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Putin was informed in advance about ex-minister Abyzov case, says Kremlin

According to the investigation, Mikhail Abyzov with a number of officials involved in the crime stole $62.1 mln from OJSC Siberian Energy Company/OJSC Regional Power Networks

Mikhail Abyzov Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS/Archive

Mikhail Abyzov

© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS/Archive

MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed in advance about suspicions regarding ex-minister Mikhail Abyzov, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Tuesday.

"The President received the report [on Abyzov case - TASS] in advance," Peskov said.

The Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against ex-minister of the open government Mikhail Abyzov, official spokesperson of the Committee Svetlana Petrenko told TASS earlier.

"The Main Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Russian Investigative Committee opened the criminal case related to ex-minister of open government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Abyzov, who created and headed a criminal syndicate within the period from April 2011 to November 2014," Petrenko said.

According to the investigation, Abyzov, with Nikolai Stepanov, Maxim Rusakov, Galina Fraidenberg, Alexander Pelipasov and Sergei Ilyichev participating in the crime, stole and 4 bln rubles ($62.1 mln) from OJSC Siberian Energy Company and OJSC Regional Power Networks through fraud of their shareholders and channeled money abroad.

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