WASHINGTON, December 8 (Sputnik) – The defense attorney for Russian national Vadim Mikerin has withdrawn from representing the businessman accused of extortion conspiracy in the United States, the spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office in Maryland Vickie LeDuc told Sputnik on Monday.
“Defense counsel Daniel Hurson filed a motion to withdraw as attorney for the defendant and responses to that motion are due December 18,” LeDuc said.
LeDuc said that no additional court cases have been scheduled at this time, and that attorneys from the Orrick Herrington law firm have filed appearances for Mikerin.
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.
On November 25, Mikerin pleaded not guilty to charges, LeDuc told Sputnik.
Earlier in November, US prosecutors and the District Court for the District of Maryland decided to extend the detention of Mikerin and declined to comment on court documents that showed that US law enforcement agencies had attempted to recruit the Russian businessman.
JSC Techsnabexport, also known by TENEX, exports enriched uranium product and uranium conversion to key markets, including the United States, Mexico, China, South Africa, Japan and several European states.
