Adamov's Partner Plea Bargains with Taxes
// American charges dropped as part of deal
A federal court in Pittsburgh has approved a deal in the case of Mark Kaushansky, who, along with former Russian minister of atomic energy Evgeny Adamov, is accused of the embezzlement and laundering of $9 million. In exchange for pleading guilty to tax evasion, charges of embezzlement and money laundering have been dropped. Adamov commented yesterday that the plea bargain is “an acknowledgment of the groundlessness of the charges” against him and Kaushansky. Charges against Adamov have not been dropped. Kaushansky now faces a fine of between $5000 and $250,000 and a maximum of four years of prison time (as opposed to 12 years previously).
“The prosecutor suggested a deal to Mark Kaushansky,” Adamov told Kommersant. “It happens that he did not always pay his personal taxes and, in exchange for pleading guilty to that, the prosecutor dropped the charges of embezzlement and money laundering. Mr. Kaushansky confessed, of course, and the court approved the deal on Monday.”
Adamov spent about a year in prison in Switzerland, while Swiss courts decided whether to satisfy the extradition request made by the United States or one filed later by Russia. Adamov was finally sent back to Russia. U.S. authorities accuse him of embezzlement and money laundering in connection with $9 million granted by the U.S. to Russia for research on nuclear security.
The case against Adamov in Russia remains at the preliminary stage. The case was submitted to the Zamoskvoretsky District Court in Moscow at the end of this summer, but the court returned the case to the prosecutor's office for further refinement. That decision has been appealed by the prosecutor. The appeal will be heard by the Appeals Court on October 16. Adamov says that he wants the case to be settled faster. “The trial has to be finished as fast as possible here and we have to begin dealing with the Americans,” he said.
Nikolay Sergeev; Dmitry Sidorov, Washington
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 27, 2006
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