Artyom Uss has reportedly broken his electronic tag and disappeared after a court in Milan approved his extradition to the US, ANSA reports Artem Uss © Social media
Artyom Uss, son of the governor of Russia’s Krasnodar Region, Aleksandr Uss, has fled house arrest near the Italian city of Milan, the ANSA news agency has reported. The Carabinieri – an Italian law enforcement agency that also acts as the military police – is still searching for the alleged fugitive, who is said to escaped on Wednesday, the agency added.
The developments come just days after a court of appeals in Milan approved the 40-year-old’s extradition to America. Uss was arrested last October at Milan’s Malpensa Airport on allegations of sanctions evasion and money laundering. The New York district attorney had earlier issued an international warrant for him.
Uss, who was being held under house arrest, denied the allegations and his lawyer has told TASS that they intended to appeal the extradition decision. According to ANSA, Uss was preparing to contest the court’s decision when he disappeared.
The US has claimed that the governor’s son allegedly purchased American military technology before selling it to sanctioned Russian entities. He is also accused of smuggling oil from Venezuela to customers in China and Russia.
In October, a Russian court ordered Uss’s arrest on money laundering charges. Moscow has since demanded that he be extradited to Russia.
Governor Aleksandr Uss has claimed that charges against his son are politically motivated. Lawyers for Artyom Uss have also claimed that Washington may want to use him in prisoner exchanges with Moscow. (RT)
