A Russian businessman who reportedly owns the RTTV America video production company faces up to three years in prison for submitting more than $1 million worth of false corporate tax returns, a news report said.
It has already been reported that Alexei Iazlovsky , but knowledge of his position at RTTV America and the company's close ties with RT America television channel was only made public in a report published Tuesday by The Washington Free Beacon.
The report said that Iazlovsky heads RTTV America and that his company cannot be clearly differentiated from RT America, though RT America's business manager, Roman Tokman, has denied that they are linked in any way.
Tokman said RTTV America in fact works with pro-Kremlin RT based in Russia, providing it with services such as "video content, transmission, crew services and studio facilities" through " a company in Russia."
In a scan included in the report and purported to be a copy of Iazlovsky's plea agreement, it is said that the businessman transferred over $1 million from RTTV America to companies controlled by his personal accountant, diverted $2.6 million to an undeclared bank account in Luxembourg and filed fraudulent individual and corporate tax returns between 2002 and 2010.
Iazlovsky, who lives in Maryland, is to go before a U.S. court for sentencing in June.
The report is the latest case to draw attention to RT in recent months. Liz Wahl, a former RT anchor based in the United States, resigned on air last month and accused the channel of "whitewashing" President Vladimir Putin's actions.
