Russian-U.S. $110 mln uranium fraud case goes to court

Russian prosecutors have sent to court a case against the head of a Russian-US company on charges on defrauding the state of $113 million, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Marking said on Tuesday. Globe Nuclear Services and Supply GNSS, Limited President Alexander Chernov was involved in the theft of Russian government-controlled assets as part of a criminal group including former nuclear energy minister Yevgeny Adamov, Vyacheslav Pismenny, a former director of the Troitsk Institute of Innovation and Fusion Research, and Revmir Fraishtut, general director of nuclear materials exporter Tekhsnabexport. They are suspected of inflicting losses of 3 billion rubles ($110 million) on the Russian budget, enterprises and organizations. US justice officials accused Adamov of diverting up to $9 million intended to improve Russian nuclear security into private projects. Chernov fled during the investigation and was put on an international wanted list in 2006. He is believed to have since acquired US citizenship. Markin said there was ample evidence to charge Chernov under the provisions of Article 159/3 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code (fraud) which carries a prison sentence of up to six years.