Moscow’s Tverskoi District court is due to examine the investigators’ request for the arrest in absentia of the Head of the UK’s Hermitage Capital Investment Foundation, William Browder, on charges of stealing Gazprom stock through the structures that Browder had expressly set up.
According to the Russian law enforcement agencies, Browder is trying to prevent witnesses who know about investigation-related details from visiting the investigators, and is trying to energetically counteract the investigation, including through the media.
Earlier, Browder was put on the international Wanted List. A criminal case against Browder has been opened on charges of large-scale fraud. He damaged Russia’s interests to the tune of more than 3 billion roubles, according to the Russian Interior Ministry.
Judge puts off Bill Browder’s in-absentia arrest hearing
A Moscow district court has postponed until April 25 the hearing on the case of Hermitage Capital Management’s CEO Bill Browder who faces arrest in absentia, journalists report from the ground.
Judge Pyotr Stupin said the investigation wasn’t trying hard enough to hand in a summons to the fugitive head of the British investment fund.
“There is no evidence that the entrepreneur has been sent a telegram or presented with any kind of formal notice,” the judge noted.
Investigators denied this accusation saying they tried at various times to have the summons passed to Mr. Browder and inform him of a criminal case launched against him in Russia.
The leading investigator stressed they attempted to pass the notice through Interpol and the British embassy only to be turned down by their functionaries. She also said there was no use to e-mail the accused since she believed that wouldn’t see him appear before Russian court.
Browder to be declared int’l fugitive if arrested in absentia – source
The CEO of the Hermitage Capital Management fund, William Browder, will be put on the international wanted list if arrested in absentia, a source in the Russian Interior Ministry told.
“Since Mr. Browder has been ignoring a ruling to answer investigation questions we have asked a court to consider the possibility of trying him in absentia. If the court accepts our petition Mr. Browder will be put on the international wanted list,” the source said.
Russia wants William Browder on tax evasion charges.
Sergei Magnitsky’s ex-employer closes its doors
William Browder’s Hermitage Capital, where late lawyer Sergei Magnitsky had worked, has been closed due to a decision by its managing company HSBC.
Bloomberg quotes Browder as saying: “It was too small to be a viable company.”
The businessman founded the company along with billionaire Edmond Safra in 1996.
During nine years of operation the company accumulated assets worth $4 billion in Russia.
Hermitage Capital auditor Sergei Magnitsky was arrested in November 2008 on charges of helping the company to avoid paying taxes in Russia.
Browder was banned from entering Russia and felony criminal charges were filed against him.
Voice of Russia, RIA, BBC, TASS, RAPSI, IF
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_04_22/Moscow-court-to-examine-William-Browder-s-arrest-in-absentia-204/