Lazarenko indicted by U.S. (06/04/00)

Lazarenko indicted by U.S.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - As The Weekly was going to press, Reuters reported that Pavlo Lazarenko, who is indicted with embezzlement in Ukraine and money laundering in Switzerland, now faces U.S. charges. A federal grand jury has accused the former prime minister of Ukraine, who is seeking U.S. political asylum, of laundering $114 million he stole while in office.

Mr. Lazarenko is being held in federal prison pending resolution of a Swiss extradition request. The U.S. Attorney's Office for Northern California announced that Mr. Lazarenko was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, seven counts of money laundering and 23 counts of transportation of stolen property.

The Associated Press reported that defense lawyer Joseph Russoniello denied that Mr. Lazarenko extorted money, adding: "There is a serious question about whether information coming from the government of the [sic] Ukraine against Mr. Lazarenko was ... the product of a political vendetta."

The indictments were made on May 18 and unsealed on June 1 in San Francisco.

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