Russian Anti-corruption commission asks U.S. Justice Ministry to check MP’s assets

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Russian National Anti-corruption commission (NACC) addressed an application to the U.S. Ministry of Justice with a request to carry out check-ups of assets of Armenian member of the State Duma Ashot Yeghiazaryan and his relatives for legacy of purchase on the territory of U.S.

“We paid attention to the statement of a businessman Alexander Lebedev published by western and Russian mass media about illegal activity of Yeghiazaryan and possible laundering of his funds using American financial Institutes,” said NACC chairman Kirill Kabanov.

Russian law enforcement bodies accuse the RF State Duma member of fraud. According to defence lawyer, he is presently in the United States.

On January 31, 2011, the court issued a sanction for Yeghiazaryan’s arrest in absentia. On May 3, the RF Investigative Committee general investigations department filed a suit against Yeghiazaryan and his participators – Vitaly Gogokhia and Maxim Kolchin – for serious fraud.

According to the investigative data, in 2006-2010 Yeghiazaryan jointly with his brother Artem, Gogokhia and Kolchin as well as other unknown persons "through fraud and abuse" obtained property owned by Vitaly Smagin, namely 20% shares of Centurion Alliance cjsc at a total amount of RUB1 bln. 575 mln., according to Russia media sources.

Earlier in his interview to the Associated Press, Yeghiazaryan compared himself with the former head of YUKOS Oil Company Michael Khodorkovsky and other businessmen and politicians, who spoke against Russian political elite.