Britain has refused to grant political asylum to Bank of Moscow's former head Andrei Borodin and his former deputy Dmitry Akulinin, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.
“The bankers were told in late April that their request for political asylum in Great Britain had been denied,” the source told RIA Novosti.
No official confirmation of the move has been given yet. The lawyers of the bank’s top managers have refused to comment on the information.
Borodin and Akulinin have been placed on the Interpol wanted list after a criminal case was opened against both in late 2010 on charges of fraud involving government funds.
They are accused of illegally lending $443 million to shell companies which then transferred the funds to Yelena Baturina, the wife of Moscow’s former Mayor Yury Luzhkov and former owner of the construction empire Inteco.
Another case was opened against Borodin and Akulinin in February on suspicion of stealing over $225 million.
Russian prosecutors have submitted a request to the UK for the extradition of both men
