An Italian court had just accepted New York’s extradition requests. But Artem Uss, a Russian businessman charged with smuggling oil, evasion and bank fraud, managed to break his electronic bracelet and disappear
Artem Uss is in the wind. The Russian businessman (and son of a Russian regional governor) was under house arrest in Milan, where a court had greenlit his extradition to the United States on Tuesday. However, he managed to break his electronic bracelet and flee on Wednesday.
- Mr Uss was awaiting to appeal the extradition. Authorities are now looking for him.
The charges. Milan’s Appeal Court had recognised the charges of smuggling oil from Venezuela to China and Russia, with evasion of sanctions and bank fraud, but not those of smuggling military technology from the US to Russia, nor that of money laundering.
- After Mr Uss’ arrest in Milan, the Meshansky Court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant as part of an investigation in which he is accused of “laundering a large amount of funds.”
- The Russian court also asked Italy for extradition – quite possibly to pressure Rome into ceding control of the Russian citizen and protect him from unintended consequences.
