Russians Ask Interpol to Find Former Mobile Phone Retailer

Russian prosecutors have sent a notice to Interpol seeking the arrest and extradition of Yevgeny Chichvarkin, 34 the former co-owner of Russian mobile phone retailer, Euroset. Mr Chichvarkin is understood to be in the UK at the moment, after leaving Russia in January, following allegations of kidnapping and phone smuggling.

"Today the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia has sent an instruction to Interpol on adding Yevgeny Chichvarkin to the international wanted list," said a spokeswoman for the Russian prosecutors.

Last September, police arrested four employees of the phone company, accusing them of kidnapping an employee, Andrei Vlaskin - who they suspected of stealing from the firm - and phone smuggling in a case which dated back to 2003. Chichvarkin was grilled by the General Prosecutor's Office Investigations Committee for over four hours following the arrest of the employees.

Shortly after the employees were arrested, the two co-founders sold the phone retailer to fellow Oligarch, Alexander Mamut for US$400 million in cash (and US$850 million in debt). However the transaction was thought to be a holding action, as Mamut then sold half of the firm to mobile operator, VimpelCom within just a few weeks.

"Charges against Chichvarkin were brought illegally in terms of procedure, and I am 100% sure that Russia will be denied extradition because Britain is scrupulous about personal immunity and freedom," Chichvarkin's lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov said.

Despite the claims against him, Chichvarkin is noted for making public statements condemning corruption and bribery in Russian officials - raising concerns in some quarters that the charges are a witch-hunt against a person who is causing problems for the government and its supporters.

Posted to the site on 11th March 2009