Russian General Prosecutor's Office to formalise documents for extradition of Gusinsky from Greece

The General Prosecutor's Office of Russia has reported that it received official information from the law enforcement bodies of Greece on detaining in this country of Vladimir Gusinsky. The well-known Russian businessman is accused of illegal financial operations and on Russia's request he was detained in the Athens' international airport last Thursday.

According to RF General Prosecutor's Office, today it began to formalise documents for the Greek side for extradition of Gusinsky to Russia. In line with the requirements of the international law and the treaty on legal assistance between the two states all the documents should be translated into the Greek language.

At present the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia is reported to be deciding on the sending to Greece of Russian investigators engaged in probing into the Gusinsky case.

On Monday the former Russian media-magnate faced the prosecutor of the Athens' court of appeal which ruled that Gusinsky should wait for its decision on his possible extradition to Russia in prison.

The RF General Prosecutor's Office charges Gusinsky with gross fraud and money laundering. A criminal case against the oligarch was opened in September 2000. He was charged with gross fraud.

In April 2001 the General Prosecutors Office brought a new charge against Gusinsky: he was accused of laundering ill-gotten funds worth 2,800 million roubles (about 92 million dollars. Later additional charge was brought against him by correspondence of legalisation of ill-gotten large sums of money.