Cyprus extradites businessman to Russia over 2.6 billion ruble tax fraud

The Republic of Cyprus has extradited a Russian businessman to Moscow, accused of tax evasion on an especially large scale. According to the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, the damage to the state exceeds 2.6 billion rubles (about 30 million euros). The name of the person involved has not yet been disclosed.

According to investigators, the criminal scheme operated from 2015 to 2019. The businessman, while heading two companies, submitted fictitious tax declarations to the tax authorities. The documents contained false information about allegedly completed works and supplies of construction materials from controlled contractors, which made it possible to unlawfully reduce the taxable base.

After criminal proceedings were initiated, the suspect fled abroad and was subsequently placed on an international wanted list by the court. The man was detained in Cyprus on the basis of an Interpol international warrant. On June 18, an official handover of the detainee to Russian authorities took place at Larnaca Airport, and he is now in custody in Moscow. This precedent clearly confirms that the island is no longer a safe haven for fugitive major businessmen from Russia.