3 charged with usurping assets of missing Russian-Israeli

Suspects deny attempting to seize control of the assets of businessman Alexei Zakrenko.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
police car 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
police car 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Three suspects were charged in Tel Aviv District Court on Sunday with attempting to illegally take over the assets of a Russian Israeli millionaire who went missing in Russia and who Russian police believe has been murdered.
The suspects, named as Nissim Ben- Moshe Dajlatsi-Degdaleti, of Herzliya, a second suspect who cannot be named, and Elina Bat-Yosef Miller, of Tel Aviv, deny attempting to seize control of the assets of businessman Alexei Zakrenko.
The three have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, aggravated fraud, aggravated forgery, money laundering, illegal use of property, and several additional offenses.
They were arrested by police on March 28 following a special undercover investigation, and have been kept in custody since, with the exception of the second defendant who was released to house arrest after he appealed his custody.
According to the indictment, the defendants made contact with Zakrenko and became socially acquainted with him 2008 and 2009, the year he traveled to Russia. Business ties were also allegedly maintained between some of the defendants and Zakrenko.
State prosecutors have stressed that Zakrenko is considered to have been murdered by authorities in Russia, adding that a homicide investigation is still ongoing.
“Before his disappearance, the defendants conspired... to receive his assets,” the charge sheet read.
After the businessman went missing, the defendants “forged documents to give them wide ranging powers to act in Zakrenko’s name,” the charge sheet added.
The defendants allegedly gained access to bank accounts and corporate assets, and pocketed millions of shekels as a result.
Degdaleti and Miller both deny all charges, while the additional defendant has remained silent.
“Their accounts are filled with versions that contradict the evidence and common sense,” state prosecutors said.