The US State Department has announced a reward for information about the son of a Krasnoyarsk ex-governor who escaped to Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism) from arrest in Italy.

America valued Artem Uss at $7 million

US offers $7 million for data on businessman’s whereabouts Artem Ussason of a senator from the Krasnoyarsk Territory and ex-governor of the region Alexandra Ussareported on State Department website.

The reward was announced “as part of the reward program to combat transnational organized crime”, the amount will be paid for information that will allow Uss to be apprehended. The agency asked to send information regarding the entrepreneur to the FBI.

According to the US Department of Justice, the businessman and several other Russians participated in schemes to sell oil from Venezuela using shell companies and cryptocurrencies. Authorities also suspect them of illegal export and money laundering operations through their joint venture and Hamburg-registered company Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH (NDA GmbH).

In the fall of 2022, Uss was detained at Milan airport at the request of the United States. A month later, he was placed under house arrest, which the businessman served in a villa in the municipality of Basiglio (Italian authorities later seized it and other assets of the businessman), but in March 2023, after the court approved the extradition of the Russian to the United States, he escaped and returned in Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism).

Escape Uss explained the fact that the Italian court demonstrated “clear political bias” and a willingness to “bend under US pressure.” Corriere della Sera And La Repubblica wrote that the Russian special services could help the entrepreneur. At the State Department, commenting on these events, statedthat Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism) violated Italian sovereignty. Uss Sr., who left the post of governor in April and in June became a senator, did not comment on the versions of his son’s escape, but thanked everyone who supported him, especially President Vladimir Putin (*international criminal). The ex-governor noted that his son is innocent.

In Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism), a case of money laundering has also been opened against Uss Jr.; After the arrest of the businessman in Milan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs put him on the wanted list, and the Meshchansky Court arrested him in absentia. When Uss returned, the preventive measure was changed to recognizance not to leave.

Artem Uss

Two of the five alleged organizers of Uss’s escape were detained in Europe

Boris (left) and Vladimir Jovancic

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 (*country sponsor of terrorism) 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.