MOSCOW, December 2 (RAPSI) – Vladimir Yevtushenkov, the board chairman and largest beneficiary of AFK Sistema, can be amnestied ‘in theory’ under special cicumstances, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday citing Pavel Krasheninnikov, chair of the State Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Commercial and Procedural Legislation.

The notion of amnesty for Yevtushenkov was brought up earlier in the day by his attorney Alexander Gofstein. He stressed that all talks on the subject are purely academic.

Pavel Krasheninnikov said that if the charges are included in the amnesty law, and the crimes themselves were committed before the amnesty was declared, it was ‘possible in theory’ to apply it to AFK Sistema head Yevtushenkov. Krasheninnikov added that the case is full with circumstances, that can affect the possible release of Yevtushenkov.

Yevtushenkov stands charged with money laundering in oil producer Bashneft’s stock purchase. The investigation believes that the stock was purchased in 2009 at a purposefully lowered price, resulting in a $500 million “sale”.

AFK Sistema said the charges were unfounded and that it would use all available legal options to settle the conflict.

AFK Sistema directly owned almost 72% of voting shares of Bashneft, which produces about 350,000 barrels of oil a day, and an overall stake of 86.7%, including 12.6% via Sistema-Invest.
In October, The Moscow Commercial Court ordered AFK Sistema, its subsidiary Sistema-Invest to forfeit Bashneft stock.