Switzerland Wants to Extradite Russian Official for Money LaunderingThe Swiss justice authorities are to ask the United States to extradite the former Kremlin property manager, Pavel Borodin, to answer charges of money laundering.Swiss Radio International quoted the Geneva prosecutor handling the case, Bernard Bertossa, as saying that Borodin, who was arrested in New York Thursday on a Swiss warrant, was wanted in Switzerland for involvement in the laundering of up to 25 million US dollars. "I was officially informed by the US authorities about Borodin's arrest on Thursday," said Bertossa. "He was arrested on our international warrant [and] we will be asking the US to extradite him to Switzerland." He added that Switzerland had 40 days to formally demand Borodin's extradition from the US. The former Kremlin finance chief is wanted by the Swiss justice authorities on suspicion of accepting bribes from two companies in the Swiss canton of Ticino, in exchange for granting lucrative contracts to renovate the Kremlin. He denies any wrongdoing. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov summoned the US ambassador to protest against Borodin's arrest and demand his immediate release. The Russian authorities dropped the case last month on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to proceed. At the time, the decision was criticized by Russia's former chief prosecutor, Yuri Skuratov, who said it was "more about politics than justice." Borodin was removed from his Kremlin post last year after Vladimir Putin entered office. He is currently head of a special body overseeing efforts to form union between Russia and Belarus. |
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