MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. The debt of Mikhail Khodorkovsky (recognized as a foreign agent) in Russia is more than 17.4 billion rubles (about $202.4 million), including outstanding fines for violations of the rules imposed on a foreign agent’s activity, unpaid fees, state duties, taxes and penalties on them, law enforcement agencies told TASS.

"The enforcement proceedings against Khodorkovsky have been open since 2005. They include, in particular, unpaid enforcement fees, penalties on taxes and levies, state duty, as well as fines under Article 19.34 of Russia’s Code of Administrative Offenses (violation of the procedure for the activities of a foreign agent). To date, the arrears totals more than 17.4 billion rubles," the spokesperson said.

In addition, TASS found Khodorkovsky among the debtors in the enforcement proceedings database. Eight enforcement proceedings were initiated against him in 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2022 to recover almost 16.2 billion rubles (about $188.4 million) of unpaid taxes, more than 1.2 billion rubles (about $14 million) of enforcement fees and state duty of almost 29,000 rubles (about $37). Three more enforcement proceedings to recover fines in administrative proceedings have been open since the beginning of this year.

Yukos case

Two criminal cases were brought against former Yukos oil company CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner Menatep CEO Platon Lebedev. In May 2005, Moscow’s Meshchansky Court found Khodorkovsky and Lebedev guilty and sentenced them to nine years in prison for fraud and tax evasion. On December 30, 2010, Moscow’s Khamovnichesky District Court pronounced Khodorkovsky and Lebedev guilty of embezzlement and money laundering in a second criminal case and sentenced them to 14 years in prison, but dropped certain criminal charges due to the statute of limitation.

Khodorkovsky was pardoned by President Vladimir Putin and on December 20, 2013 he was released from the penal colony. On December 23, 2015, Khodorkovsky was again arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list for organizing the murder of Nefteyugansk Mayor Vladimir Petukhov.