Banker suspected of involvement in 31m rouble theft

Police are looking for chairman of the Expert Bank board of directors Roman Stroikov, suspected of involvement in the theft of 31 million roubles, the Interior Ministry's press service told Itar-Tass on Thursday. "Agents of the Volgograd region department for economic security and combating corruption ascertained Stroikov's involvement in a criminal scheme to steal more than 31 million roubles, allocated from the budget, for repairs and maintenance of the Moscow-Astrakhan federal highway," police said. According to investigators, Stroikov was one of the organizers of the scheme; he coordinated the activity of the group and the operation of commercial firms that were under the group's control. "When the investigation was launched, Stroikov escaped. His whereabouts are unknown. The suspect is on the federal wanted list," the Interior Ministry's press service said. Police searched the suspect's apartment and Moscow offices of Expert Bank. They retrieved drafts, electronic media, and other objects and documents that had significance for the investigation. Also, the search and operation measures exposed the wrongdoers' cashing and money-laundering schemes. According to the Interior Ministry, the stolen budget money was transferred to the investment company whose founder was the banker's relative. He, too, is in custody at present. The money then was remitted outside the Russian Federation to the accounts of a firm registered in the Baltic region. Stroikov owns two thirds of the authorized capital of this firm. The Interior Ministry asked citizens to report Stroikov's whereabouts. It promised that it would take information from anonymous callers.