Jailed former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky may be investigated for money laundering, a German news report said.
A money-laundering case against Khodorkovsky was opened in Germany several months ago, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported Saturday. The paper did not say whether the case was still open.
German investigators accidentally found accounts under Khodorkovsky's name worth between 15 million euros and 20 million euros ($20 million to $27 million) during a tax evasion raid, the report said. The details of the account, found on a CD-ROM containing data of Swiss private bank Julius Baer, may be evidence that Khodorkovsky did not pay taxes.
Khodorkovsky is serving a 13-year sentence in a prison in Karelia on tax evasion, fraud and money-laundering charges that he and his supporters call politically motivated punishment from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for his political and commercial ambitions. The prison sentence stems from two trials, one in 2005 and the other in 2010.
While the European Court of Human Rights has cleared Russia of political motivation in the first trial, it has ruled the Yukos trial unfair.
A money-laundering case would deal a blow to human rights activists who have rallied around Khodorkovsky, said Alexander Rahr, a Russia expert with the German Council of Foreign Relations.
"An investigation would be a shock for those who said the money-laundering [charge] was Putin's fantasy," Rahr said.
He expressed surprise that there was not more money in the account, calling the balance "funny."
Khodorkovsky's head lawyer Vadim Klyuvgant, speaking by phone Sunday, called the media report a rumor and said he knew nothing about any German investigation.
Khodorkovsky's press service declined to comment by phone Sunday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
