Court Convicts Former Russian Nuclear Chief

A Moscow court yesterday found former Russian atomic energy chief Yevgeny Adamov guilty of embezzling $30 million, the Moscow Times reported (see GSN, July 2, 2007).

Adamov, who served as Russia’s top nuclear power official from 1998 to 2001, could receive a prison sentence of up to 10 years today following his conviction for fraud and abuse of power.

Working with two accomplices, co-defendants Revmir Fraishtut and Vyacheslav Pismenny, Adamov stole more than $30 million in shares from a U.S.-Russian uranium joint venture in 1998 and 1999.  Their actions caused “considerable damage” to the Russian state, said Judge Irina Vasina of Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky District Court.

“I never took a kopek,” Adamov insisted during a trial recess

The United States has also charged Adamov of embezzling $9 million from a program for improving Russian nuclear safety, but Russia has opposed his extradition, arguing that Washington would pressure him to surrender Russian nuclear secrets (Natalya Krainova, Moscow Times, Feb. 20).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.