Adamov daughter also under investigation
The daughter of Yevgeny Adamov, the former Russian energy minister arrested in Bern on Monday, is also having legal problems in Switzerland.
Irina Adamova, who has been a Swiss citizen since 1992, is the subject of a money-laundering inquiry and has had her bank accounts frozen.
Adamova’s lawyer Christoph Dumartheray confirmed that the accounts of a house-building consultancy firm in Moscow belonging to Adamova have also been frozen.
Two accounts have since been re-opened. Dumartheray says top priority is for Adamova to have access to all her accounts.
If necessary they are prepared to lodge an appeal to achieve this.
On Friday Igor Petrov, spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Bern, confirmed that at the end of April assets belonging to Adamova worth around SFr250,000 ($207,000) had been blocked.
“Mr Adamov came to Switzerland because of that,” Petrov said. “He wanted to help his daughter.”
No connection
According to Dumartheray, there is no connection “chronologically or factually” between the accusations against Adamova and those against her father.
He said the fact that Adamova had received money from her father on its own meant nothing.
Adamov, 66, who was atomic energy minister under President Yeltsin but was sacked by President Putin in 2001, was arrested in Bern at the request of the United States.
Irina Adamova told Swiss-German television that Swiss officials had lured her father to the country by saying they wanted to discuss her blocked bank account.
“[My father] went to the information meeting,” Adamova, who wasn’t allowed to attend, said. “But after four hours I was told that my father was going to have to stay.”
List of charges
Adamov is charged with money laundering, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy to transfer stolen money. He could face up to 60 years in prison and a fine of $1.75 million (SFr2.1 million).
The US has accused Adamov of diverting up to $9 million (SFr11 million) given to Russia to help improve security at its nuclear facilities.
The former atomic energy minister was indicted on Thursday by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A US-based business partner, Mark Kaushansky, was indicted at the same time.
Adamov refused to accept extradition, meaning that Washington had 40 days to file a formal extradition request.
Adamov is currently in custody in Bern.
swissinfo with agencies
Irina Adamova has been a Swiss citizen since 1992.
At the end of April assets worth around SFr250,000 ($207,000) belonging to Adamova were blocked.
Her father, Yevgeny Adamov, was arrested in Bern on Monday at the request of the US authorities for alleged financial crimes.
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