Russian lawmaker, arrested, under investigation in France for tax evasion

Suleiman Kerimov, one of Russia’s richest men and a serving senator is currently under formal investigation after he was arrested in France over allegations of tax evasion.

Reports say the billionaire senator was arrested late on Monday night in Nice and moments after he was picked up, Russia summoned a French diplomat in Moscow to protest about his detention.

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“We will apply all efforts, maximum of efforts, to defend his legal interests,” a Kremlin spokesman said.

The spokesman argued that Mr Kerimov had diplomatic immunity, which puts officials from overseas above the law of the country in which they are working.

“It is especially important here that Suleiman Kerimov has a diplomatic passport which he used to enter France,” the spokesman said.

Kerimov has however been released but according to reports, he was freed under strict conditions.

 

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