MOSCOW, September 7 (RAPSI) – A prosecutors’ claim to forfeit assets worth 32.5 billion rubles (about $430 million at the current exchange rate) from ex-Minister for Open Government affairs Mikhail Abyzov charged with embezzlement to the state is scheduled for September 24, the Moscow Gagarinsky District Court’s press service told RAPSI on Monday.

Other defendants in the claim are several foreign companies under Abyzov’s control.

Prosecutors claim that between May 2012 and May 2018 when working in the government he also was engaged in business and derived income from companies under his control. To conceal his involvement in the business he registered the firms to false names, the statement reads.

According to case papers, in 2018, Abyzov using his job position and minister’s authority was personally involved in the Sibeko company’s share sale. In February 2018, two contracts were signed resulting in the transfer of 32.5 billion rubles to Abyzov’s companies received in violation of anticorruption law and regulations.

In mid-August, investigation into an embezzlement case against the former official was completed.

Investigators believe that Abyzov acting as beneficiary owner of several offshore companies organized a criminal group to steal 4 billion rubles (about $55 million at the current exchange rate) belonging to two energy companies supplying electricity to Siberia. Later, the embezzled funds were moved overseas.