Russia has seized real estate in France worth about 13 million euros from former tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who lives in London and is wanted by Russian authorities on fraud and other charges, a Prosecutor General's Office report said.
The report said more than $320 million worth of illegally obtained property and funds had been seized as a result of requests to foreign governments, including $300 million in Switzerland allegedly embezzled from state-owned shipping company Sovkomflot by businessman Yury Nikitin, Interfax reported.
Nikitin is wanted by Russia on theft charges stemming from a case opened in 2005, when authorities accused him and four associates of stealing more than $700 million from Sovkomflot.
Authorities have seized property from Berezovsky before. In February of last year, Russian prosecutors said that at its request, France arrested two yachts worth a combined $20 million and other valuables, including paintings, owned by the tycoon and former Kremlin kingmaker. At the time, Berezovsky denied ownership of the yachts.
And in 2007, French authorities seized a $20 million villa from Berezovsky at Russia's asking.
Russia has unsuccessfully sought Berezovsky's extradition from Britain on a variety of charges, including embezzlement of millions of dollars from state-owned airline Aeroflot and automaker AvtoVAZ.
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