Audit Chamber checking Sibneft

The Russian Audit Chamber is checking 20 companies owned by Sibneft in Anadyr (the Chukot Autonomous Area), an auditor with the Audit Chamber told journalists today. In the course of investigations held in Chukotka, it became known that Sibneft had evaded RUR9.8bn (about $336.48m) in taxes by using the Chukotka offshore zone, he reiterated. At the same time, the auditor refused to comment on any preliminary results of the current investigation having added that the final results would be announced after its completion in September 2004.

Previously, Audit Chamber head Sergey Stepashin reported that Sibneft had evaded RUR14bn (about $480.69m) in taxes through offshore zones but it had been made according to the law, which was changed in January 2004. According to him, the Audit Chamber has been checking Sibneft, YUKOS, LUKoil and Transneft over two yeas. Transneft and Rosneft are being audited now.