WASHINGTON, November 6 (RIA Novosti) — The US District Court for the District of Maryland has granted on Thursday the request of prosecutors to extend the detention of the Russian businessman Vadim Mikerin, accused of extortion conspiracy.
During the court session, Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein said that the case is complicated by the fact that Russia and the United States don't have an extradition treaty.
Rosenstein added that the US law enforcers fear that if they release Mikerin, he would try to leave the United States and it would be difficult to bring him back for further legal action.
Mikerin's lawyer told RIA Novosti that the hearings on his client's case are scheduled for November 13.
Earlier on Monday, he said that he would seek his client’s release before the trial.
Vadim Mikerin, the head of the TENAM Corp, which is the US subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned uranium producer and trader Techsnabexport, was arrested in the United States on allegations of participating in a kickback scheme in exchange for granting uranium supply contracts to US citizens.
Mikerin is accused of receiving $1.7 million in bribes for granting three US citizens over $33 million in non-competitive contracts with Techsnabexport. If found guilty, Mikerin could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
JSC Techsnabexport, also known by its brand name of TENEX, exports enriched uranium product and uranium conversion to a number of key markets, including the United States, Mexico, China, South Africa, Japan and several European states.
