Michael Calvey will be tried in Moscow

The Supreme Court today sent the case of businessman Michael Calvey to the Meshchansky Court of Moscow for consideration on the merits, RIA Novosti reported. The alternative was a trial in Blagoveshchensk, at the scene of the crime.

Both the prosecutor's office and the defense asked for the transfer of the consideration to Moscow, but for different reasons. The prosecutor's office wrote that in Blagoveshchensk, Calvey and other defendants would be able to influence witnesses, the defense - on the difficulties of transporting 80 people to Blagoveshchensk, including defendants, witnesses and lawyers.

“Changing the jurisdiction will not violate the principles of fair trial and the rights of participants in the process, and will also contribute to the consideration of the case within a reasonable time,” said Judge Vasily Zykin.

The same Supreme Court must resolve the issue of the measure of restraint for the accused. The Prosecutor General's Office asks for an extension of house arrest for all defendants until January 13.

• At the end of October, the companies involved in the Calvey case filed a global settlement: the First Collection Bureau (PKB), owned by the funds of the Calvey-based Baring Vostok, will pay Vostochny Bank 2.5 billion rubles. The defendants in the criminal case are accused of embezzling such an amount. After that, the bank will drop the civil lawsuit in the criminal case.

• This does not mean the end of the criminal prosecution of the businessman and his associates: “embezzlement” (Article 160 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, under which the defendants are now being charged) is a criminal case of private-public prosecution, which, as a rule, does not provide for reconciliation of the parties. The fact that the parties have agreed and the damage has been compensated can only be taken into account when sentencing.