Russian businessman, 58, detained in London over money laundering charges, released on bail, TASS says the man is Mikhail Fridman
A Russian businessman, 58, and two more men have been detained in London, suspected of money laundering, BBC reports.
The names of the detained remain undisclosed. The 58-year-old man was detained at his mansion on suspicion of money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the UK police and conspiracy to commit perjury. TASS, citing a source close to the businessman, reports that the man in question is Mikhail Fridman.
“Fridman has been detained by the police and, according to our information, has been released on bail for now,” TASS’s source says.
Another man, 35, was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and also for obstructing an officer when trying to leave with a bag containing thousands of pounds in cash. A third man, 39, who is the former boyfriend of the businessman’s current partner, was arrested at his home in Pimlico, central London, for offences including money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.
The National Crime Agency said more than 50 officers from its Combatting Kleptocracy Cell were involved in the operation at the businessman’s property, where a number of digital devices and a significant quantity of cash was seized following a search.
All three of the arrested men, who have not been named by the NCA, have been released on bail.
Fridman, who is under EU and UK sanctions, offered to transfer $1 billion of his personal fortune to Ukrainian Alfa-Bank earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. In this way he hoped to convince the British authorities to lift sanctions from him.
Fridman owns a controlling stake in the Russian Alfa Bank. He and his partners Petr Aven and German Khan are on the EU and UK sanctions lists, but have so far avoided US sanctions. At the same time, Alfa-Bank has been blacklisted by the US Treasury.
