Agreement reached in Konanykhine case

An agreement was reached in the case of former Russian banker Alexander Koananykhin, J. P. Szymkowicz, Mr. Konanykhin's lawyer, told RIA Novosti.

"All of the sides reached an agreement," Mr. Szymkowicz said.

According to him, Mr. Konanykhin will be able to live in the United States until his political refugee is returned or he has exhausted his appeals, which may take several years.

In November 2003, Mr. Konanykhin was deprived his political refugee status in the United States but his lawyers appealed the decision.

Mr. Szymkowicz noted that in accordance with the law, Mr. Konanykhin's right to freedom of movement in the U.S. was restored. Earlier, Judge T. S. Ellis ruled that Mr. Konannykhin had not breached his agreement with U.S. authorities that allowed him to live in the United States. In the judge's opinion, the U.S. government violated the agreement by arresting Mr. Konanykhin at the Canadian border in December 2003.

The judge ordered Mr. Konanykhin to be released. He also noted that the two sides were not completely clear about the agreement's requirements and suggested that Mr. Konanykhin's lawyers and representatives of the United States make all the wording in the agreement more precise. The parties did this.

The Russian Interior Ministry told RIA Novosti that Mr. Konanykhin is accused of embezzling $8 million from the Russian Exchange Bank in 1991-1992.