MosNews November 18, 2004

Russia
Seeks Extradition of Former Yukos
Accountant From
U.K.

THE Russian government is seeking the extradition of Yukos Oil
Co.’s former deputy chief accountant from the U.K. on allegations he conspired with others to defraud the state of 76 billion rubles (.6 billion) by failing to deliver oil, the Bloomberg news agency reported on Friday.

Dimitry Maruev, 39, and
Natalia Chernysheva, 40, previously head of the unit at Menatep Bank bidding for state companies to be privatized, deny the allegations. They are contesting the extradition, which is being heard at Bow
Street Magistrates Court in central
London.

The allegations expand the Russian government’s case against Yukos, which has so far centered on demands for $7.5
billion in back taxes and fines. Yukos spokesman Alexander Shadrin
declined to comment.

[Mikhail Khodorkovsky]The two are accused of conspiring in 1997 to obtain 76 billion rubles from the regional administration of Volgograd with a false contract to supply oil products, the court and Crown Prosecution Service said. They are also accused of working with former
Yukos Chief Executive Officer Mikhail
Khodorkovsky (far left, in jail) to defraud the Russian government.

Chernysheva also faces an allegation that she, as well as others including
Khodorkovsky, defrauded the property foundation in Murmansk over the acquisition of shares in Apatit, a state company being sold by the state, the CPS said.

The two, who have not been charged, appeared today at the court in central
London for a preliminary hearing. They have surrendered their passports to the police and are on conditional bail. The next hearing will be held Dec. 10.

Khodorkovsky, 41, was arrested Oct. 25,
2003. Once Russia’s richest man, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

John Hardy QC is
representing the Russian government,
while Edward Fitzgerald QC and law firm
Corker Binning are acting for
Chernysheva.

James Eadie and law firm
Peters and Peters are representing
Maruev.

… on
the, ahem, oligarchs
Moscow
whistleblower Pavel Klebnikov, Editor
who unmasked super-rich of Russia is
shot dead in
Moscow
Whistleblower
Pavel Klebnikov whacked in Moscow:
Oligarchs
suspected |
Berezovsky
sneers that victim ‘was like a bull in
a china shop’
| Shooting
of editor may be revenge for delving
into Russia’s
rich |
Yukos
shares dive

on market
fears Forbes magazine: Forbes
Russia editor murdered in
Moscow Khodorkovsky:
From billionaire to cage in
court
Our dossier on the life and troubled
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“oligarchs”
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