New defendants may appear in the criminal case against Rusagro owner Vadim Moshkovich and the company’s former CEO, Maxim Basov , Kommersant reports .
The publication notes that the injured party announced the new defendants during the Moscow City Court’s latest appeal hearing.
During the hearing, the defense argued that the law was being violated left and right in their case, that the criminal case had been unlawfully initiated, and that Moshkovich’s health prevented him from being held in custody. The lawyers requested that the trial be closed, but the court denied the motion.
The Moscow City Court also denied the defendants’ request for a reduced pretrial detention, and defense lawyers plan to appeal the decision.
Moshkovich and Basov were arrested back in March on charges of large-scale fraud and abuse of office. According to investigators, the businessmen convinced Vladislav Burov , founder of Solnechnye Produkty , to sell them an 85% stake in the company under the guise of investment and restoration of solvency. However, the promised investments never materialized.