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Investigative Committee finishes probe against ex-official accused of RUR10 billion theft

The extradition issue of former first deputy PM of the Moscow region Alexei Kuznetsov is being settled

MOSCOW, November 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia's Investigative Committee has finished the probe into the criminal case against former First Deputy Prime Minister of the Moscow region, Finance Minister Alexei Kuznetsov, accused of a 10-billion-ruble theft.

"The Investigative Committee finished the criminal case against Kuznetsov and the criminal group he led comprising former First Deputy Finance Minister of the Moscow region Vladimir Nosov, former Director General of the Moscow region Trust Company Vladislav Telepnev and NET-Finance economist Yelena Kuznetsova," Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

They are accused of legalization of illegally acquired property, grand fraud and misuse of funds.

In the period from 2005 through 2008, the suspects used a scheme to acquire the rights to demand the payment of 3.5 billion rubles of debts, and received 3.5 billion rubles worth of loans against this collateral. The money was transferred to the account of firms they controlled.

"On top of that, the criminals stole 7.2 billion rubles belonging to the Mosobltraninvset company during the designated period," Markin said.

According to the spokesman, the investigators have gathered enough evidence and sent the case to prosecutors for endorsing the indictment.

The Investigative Committee said it had established the whereabouts of Alexei Kuznetsov, wanted by law-enforcement bodies. The issue of his extradition to Russia is being settled. His wife, Zhanna Bulokh, who the Investigative Committee says abetted the crime, remains on Interpol's wanted list.

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