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YUKOS Investigator Testifies in Cyprus
Salavat Karimov, the former investigator at the Prosecutor General's Office whose zeal as head of the investigative team that advanced the criminal case against former YUKOS shareholders Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev earned him almost legendary status, appeared in Nicosia District Court in Cyprus as a witness in the case of The Republic of Cyprus v. OAO NK YUKOS. That case involves two companies, Dunsley Ltd. and Nassaubridge Management Ltd., which the Russian prosecutor claims were used by Khodorkovsky and Lebedev to launder money. The Russian prosecutor has requested documents from those companies in the second case against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev, in which they are accused of stealing more than 349 million tons of oil and laundering more than 487 billion rubles and $7.5 billion through offshore companies.
Karimov's appearance was unexpected in Cyprus, especially since he retired after not being chosen for the prosecutor's Investigative Committee by committee head Alexander Bastrykin. Cypriote court papers describe Karimov as an adviser to Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika. Karimov's former assistant Radimar appeared before the Nicosia court last month.
According to the Russian prosecutor, the banking records it has requested show money for oil stolen from YUKOS oil refineries, received from front companies Fargoil and Ratibor. Those companies are said to have bought oil cheaply from YUKOS refineries and sold it for a higher price to the Cypriote companies Ruthenhold Holdings Ltd. and Pronet Holdings Ltd.
Former general director of Ratibor Vladimir Malakhovsky was sentenced to 12 years in prison for embezzlement and money laundering in March of this year. Former general director of Ruthenhold Holdings Ltd. and Pronet Holdings Ltd. Vladimir Pereverzin, who was also a YUKOS executive, was sentenced to 11 years' confinement for the same crimes.
Representatives of the respondents said that the Russian investigation was politically motivated.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 28, 2007
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