Adamov faces 60 years in prison in the USA

The former head of the Ministry of Atomic Energy Yevgeny Adamov faces up to 60 years in prison in the United States and a $1.75 million fine. This was stated by federal prosecutor for the Western District of Pennsylvania Mary Buchanan. According to her, Adamov and his business partner Mark Kaushansky are charged with 20 counts of financial fraud and embezzlement of money allocated for the protection of Russian nuclear facilities. Adamov and Kaushansky are also accused of tax evasion and conspiracy to transfer stolen funds abroad, Kommersant writes.

The main charges relate to the activities of the Energopool company, to whose accounts a total of $15.5 million was transferred. Of this amount, according to investigators, Adamov and Kaushansky embezzled at least $9 million. The indictment alleges that at least $4.5 million million dollars went to the personal accounts of Adamov and his wife when he was a minister, the BBC clarifies. In the future, these funds were actively invested, and the profit was transferred to an account in Monaco.

Kaushansky, a former Ukrainian citizen, faces 180 years in prison and a $5 million fine. His hearing will begin on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Buchanan warned that new names could appear in the case: "We know that the defendants had assistants." At the same time, she stressed that the US government had nothing to do with this case. The FBI has been investigating the Adamov case since 2001.

Answering a question about Adamov's preventive measure upon arrival in the US, Buchanan said that "with a high degree of probability, no one will arrest him."

The question of the extradition of Adamov, who was arrested on May 2 in Switzerland, will be decided in a court in Bern. The first hearing is scheduled for May 9th. According to Kommersant, Adamov refused the accelerated extradition procedure.

Adamov himself called the charges brought against him a "provocation" and said he did not consider himself guilty, RIA Novosti reported.

"In essence, the charges against Adamov said that this is a provocation and that he does not consider himself guilty in any way," Igor Petrov, press attache of the Russian embassy in Switzerland, said after a meeting between representatives of the consulate and Adamov.

Yevgeny Adamov also said that he intends to defend himself with the help of "all methods", Russian, Swiss and American lawyers, which he already has.