MOSCOW, October 14 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Basmanny District Court has ordered blocking of Sovcombank accounts of five foreign companies allegedly related to the former Minister for Open Government affairs Mikhail Abyzov charged with embezzlement, the court’s spokesperson Irina Morozova has told RAPSI.

Accordig to Morozova, the seizure was imposed on July 7. Now the decision came into force.

In mid-August investigators completed probe into Abyzov and his alleged accomplices.

Investigators believe that Abyzov acting as beneficiary owner of several offshore companies organized a criminal group to steal 4 billion rubles (about $55 million at the current exchange rate) belonging to two energy companies supplying electricity to Siberia. Later, the embezzled funds were moved overseas.