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Prosecutor-Gen Office to file extradition request soon

Former first deputy prime minister and finance minister of the Moscow Region Alexei Kuznetsov is detained in France

MOSCOW, July 6 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Prosecutor-General's Office will make a formal request soon for extradition of the detained ex-finance minister of the Moscow Region from France to Russia to indict him, a source at the prosecutor's office said.

Former first deputy prime minister and finance minister of the Moscow Region Alexei Kuznetsov is detained in France at the request of Russia's law-enforcement authorities, a source at the Russian Interior Ministry's press centre told Itar-Tass.

Several forged passports were seized from Kuznetsov when he was detained.

His extradition to Russia is under consideration now, the ministry official said.

From November 2012, the ex-minister was on an international wanted list. In Russia, he is suspected of fraud, legalization of money obtained as a result of a crime and embezzlement.

Kuznetsov is suspected of committing a crime in the utilities sector of the Moscow Region, which resulted in damage estimated at more than 3.5 billion roubles to the regional budget, the interior ministry source noted.

In June, a court at the investigators' request arrested former first deputy finance minister of the Moscow Region Valery Nosov over the same case.

According to the Investigative Committee, during the period from November 2005 to November 2008, Nosov together with other members of the organized group headed by Kuznetsov fraudulently and by abuse obtained the right from some utilities to demand debt payment totaling more than 3.5 billion roubles. Then, they sold the right to a commercial bank, which demanded debt repayment from heads of municipalities. Because of the lack of finances, they took loans and repaid the debt, and the loan to the bank was paid off from the regional budget.

Alexei Kuznetsov, his wife Zhanna Bullakh, who is head of the RIGroup company and other members of the criminal group were on an international wanted list. Some suspects are detained and study materials of the case at present.

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