Italian authorities, together with Eurojust and American law enforcement agencies, are conducting operations to detain the alleged accomplices of Russian businessman Artem Uss, who escaped from house arrest in March last year. reports ANSA.
Operations take place in Italy, Croatia and Slovenia. The suspects included father and son of Bosnian origin Vladimir and Boris Jovancic, Serbs Srdjan Lolić and Nebojsa Ilić, and Slovenian Matej Janezic.
It was possible to detain two of Uss’s five alleged accomplices: Vladimir and Boris Jovancic. Jovancic Jr. was detained in the Italian province of Brescia. According to the agency, he owns a Volvo V60, which was among the cars in which Uss was taken out of Italy.
Vladimir Jovancic was detained in Croatia. The US Department of Justice reportedthat the arrests took place on December 4. Jovancic Sr., 52, was indicted the next day on two counts of obstruction of justice and assisting in escaping from custody. He was arrested.
According to US investigators, “Jovancic and others associated with a Serbian organized crime group were recruited by Uss to help him flee to Russia (*aggressor country) in the event of extradition.” Jovancic met Ussa’s wife at a hotel in Milan, she paid him €10 thousand.
The Bosnian first came to Uss, who was under house arrest, under the guise of delivery. On the day of the escape, Jovancic “escorted Uss into the car and provided him with bolt cutters,” which the Russian used to get rid of the electronic monitoring bracelet.
Then Uss, according to American investigators, was taken to Slovenia. The group stayed there for several days, in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and then crossed the border into Serbia. At the Serbian airport before departure, Uss paid Jovancic another €40 thousand. […]
