Head of SocGen's Russian unit charged with bribery

Vladimir Golubkov, chief executive of French bank Societe Generale's Russian unit, was charged with taking commercial bribes, investigators said Thursday. A criminal case has been opened against the Rosbank CEO Golubkov and Vice President Tamara Polyanitsyna, the investigative committee's spokesperson Vladimir Markin told local media. Golubkov is suspected of demanding over 1 million U.S. dollars from a commercial organization through his mediator and receiving money in several tranches in 2012-2013, the Interfax news agency quoted Markin as saying. Investigators said a commercial company which received a loan from Rosbank bribed Golubkov for extending the maturity and cutting interest on the currency loan. The top banker was detained Wednesday while receiving the last part of the money, said the investigative committee. Golubkov's lawyer Dmitry Kharitonov confirmed the charges against his client, adding Golubkov refused to testify. If proved guilty, the Rosbank CEO could face up to seven years in prison with a fine amounting to 40 times of the bribes taken. According to the bank's website, key areas of its corporate business include investment banking services and financing. The Rosbank serves 9,500 major domestic and international companies.