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American consular official visits incarcerated US investor in Moscow jail

Michael Calvey, founder of the Baring Vostok fund, was arrested on charges of embezzling $37.5 mln from Vostochny Bank

Michael Calvey Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Michael Calvey

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. A representative of the US Embassy in Moscow on Tuesday visited Michael Calvey, founder of the Baring Vostok fund, who was arrested on charges of embezzling 2.5 bln rubles ($37.5 mln) from Vostochny Bank. This is according to a statement by the US diplomatic mission posted on Twitter.

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"On the 12th day after the detention of Michael Calvey, a US citizen, we finally received permission from the Russian authorities to visit him. Today, an embassy representative visited Calvey to support him and offer him embassy assistance," the tweet says.

"We sincerely value our right to regularly visit detained US citizens and to ensure that they receive humane treatment and have access to medical care," the embassy added in another tweet.

On February 13, Russia’s Investigative Committee launched a criminal case into the embezzlement of 2.5 bln rubles ($37.5 mln) from Vostochny Bank. Michael Calvey is the key defendant in the case. On February 15, the law enforcement agencies arrested Calvey and five other suspects: Vagan Abgaryan, partner at Baring Vostok, Philippe Delpale, an investment partner for the financial industry sector at Baring Vostok, Ivan Zyuzin, Investment Director at Baring Vostok and also General Director of the First Collection Bureau Maxim Vladimirov and Advisor to the Management Board of Norvik Bank, Alexey Kordichev. They are all facing charges under part 4 article 159 of Russia’s Criminal Code (Swindling committed on a large scale by an organized group).

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