MOSCOW, November 9 - RAPSI. Former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's lawyer did not confirm rumors that Luzhkov has already returned to Russia from abroad. However, he expressed confidence that Luzhkov will attend the interrogation scheduled for November 15.

The Interior Ministry reported in October that Luzhkov did not attend a previously scheduled interrogation. The investigators plan to interrogate the former mayor as a witness in a criminal case connected with the embezzlement of the Bank of Moscow funds.

The Interior Ministry's Investigative Department opened a case against former Bank of Moscow President Andrei Borodin and his deputy Dmitry Akulinin in late 2010. Both are alleged to have defrauded the Moscow government of 12.76 billion rubles ($419.6 million) via a loan issued by the bank to the Premier Estate company. A Moscow district court issued arrest warrants for Borodin and Akulinin in absentia.

Investigators maintain that Borodin, Akulinin and unidentified accomplices inflicted 12.5 billion rubles ($411 million) in damages to the bank.

Luzhkov said he was abroad and learned he was summoned for interrogation from the media. His lawyer Henry Reznik said investigators agreed to hold the interrogation on November 15.

"I spoke with Luzhkov several days ago and understood that his decision to attend the interrogation remains steadfast. I do not know whether he has already arrived to Moscow or if he is arriving later, but it does not matter because the interrogation was scheduled for November 15," Reznik told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI).

The investigators also reported that Luzhkov's wife Yelena Baturina has also been called in for interrogation several times. However, her company, Inteko, said she is presently abroad.

The investigators hope to receive clarifications in "the Bank of Moscow case".