Suleiman Kerimov released for 5 million euros

The senator was charged with money laundering and tax evasion, and was also banned from leaving France.
23.11.2017
Vedomosti
Origin source
The senator from Dagestan, Suleiman Kerimov, was released on bail of 5 million euros. This is reported by Le Monde with reference to the statement of the prosecutor of Nice, Jean-Michel Pratra, following the results of the court session on electing the Russian senator a preventive measure. On the night of November 23, he was charged with tax evasion and money laundering.

Kerimov will be subjected to the strictest judicial control: he must remain in the territory of the Primorsky Alps Department, several times a week to be observed in the local police. He must also "hand over the passport and do not come into contact with some persons", whose list is not disclosed, adds RIA Novosti.

Kerimov was detained at Nice airport on the evening of November 20. In prison, he spent two nights. The press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov declared that "every effort will be made to protect his interests." He promised that the work on the release of Kerimov would continue. This issue is handled by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Diplomatic employees provide consular support to the senator. The Foreign Ministry stressed that Kerimov has a diplomatic passport, is immune and can not be detained on the territory of a foreign state.

Nov. 22 agency AFP, citing the source, said that Kerimov is suspected of concealing tens of millions of euros from the tax authorities when buying a villa on the Cote d'Azur through intermediaries. Le Monde notes that Kerimov is suspected of assigning several objects to Cap d'Antibes, the refuge of billionaires. We are talking about a series of resale of these facilities at low prices. The Russian senator may be one of the largest property owners on the Cote d'Azur, although formally his name is not associated with any object, wrote in March this year the French edition of Nice Matin.

Assistant Senator Alexei Krasovsky has refused to comment on the eve. The unnamed source of the TV channel "Russia 24" reported that Kerimov denies his guilt.

The first deputy head of the Committee for Defense and Security of the Council of Federation, Franz Klintsevich, said yesterday that detention can be regarded as a provocation. Kerimov is a respected person, he needed very good reasons for his arrest, he said.

According to the official declaration for 2016, Kerimov earned 12 million rubles. In the property, he has 2/3 in an apartment of 53.5 square meters. m, in use - housing area of ​​37.8 square meters. m and the car Mercedes-Benz S-klasse 600. Wife and minor children - an apartment, two BMW cars, another Mercedes-Benz S-klasse 600.

In 2013, Russia passed a law banning members of the Federation Council to manage business, then Kerimov transferred to the blind trust of the Swiss fund Suleyman Kerimov Foundation all assets, including a stake in Polyus Gold (the parent company of the largest Russian gold miner Polyus, its capitalization on the London Stock Exchange on November 21 was $ 10.8 billion).

Forbes magazine in 2017 included Kerimov in the rating of 200 richest businessmen of Russia. The publication estimated his fortune at $ 6.3 billion, placing it on the 21st place.

The tax legislation in France is quite tough, the partner of BMS Law Firm Timur Hutov told Vedomosti. According to him, for malicious tax evasion, French law provides from one to five years in prison and a fine of up to 250,000 euros in addition to the return of the unpaid amount.

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