Russia prosecutor confirms new Khodorkovsky charges pending News
Russia prosecutor confirms new Khodorkovsky charges pending

[JURIST] Russian Prosecutor-General Yuri Chaika confirmed Tuesday that his office is preparing new money laundering and embezzlement charges [MBK press release] against former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky [advocacy website; JURIST news archive]. Lawyers for Khodorkovsky first said they expected new charges [JURIST report] last month, but Chaika's comments Tuesday are the first official confirmation of the new investigation. Reuters has more.

Khodorkovsky was convicted in May 2005 of tax evasion [JURIST report], and the Russian government effectively nationalized Yukos to pay off $33 billion in back taxes. Khodorkovsky's lawyers have insisted that legal actions against their client have been politically motivated.