NOVOSIBIRSK, October 10 - RAPSI. A repeat trial of U.S. businessman Eric Shogren, who has been charged with large-scale fraud, is expected to begin in Novosibirsk in 2013, the Zheleznodorozhny District Court told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

In 1996, Shogren started the New York Pizza restaurant chain in Novosibirsk. In April 2009, he was detained for allegedly committing 17 counts of fraud worth 15 million rubles ($482,300).

Later, the court released him on a 1 million ruble ($32,150) bail bond.

Shogren's trial began in October 2010. Last July, Judge Galina Pudovkina, who presided over the trial, was reappointed elsewhere as a regional court judge.

"The case was transferred to district Judge Sergei Sokolov," a court spokesperson said.

He said the trial will have to start over due to the judge's transfer. However, the case cannot be restarted until the results of the forensic audit appointed by the previous judge are submitted.

According to the court, it has sent a query to the expert appointed to perform an examination. The expert replied that he cannot start the examination before November 1 due to his workload. The examination may take two to three months considering the scope of the case materials to be reviewed.

The businessman used several bank-issued credit cards to borrow somewhere between several thousand and several million rubles, including a credit card issued by the Bank of Moscow. Shogren then allegedly defaulted on his credit card debt. The banks are the plaintiffs in the case.

Shogren does not admit his guilt in full. His attorneys claim that he did not intend to commit a crime. His defense attorney blames the financial crisis for Shogren's financial difficulties. Over 15 criminal charges have been initiated against the businessman. Shogren's assistant Yevgenia Golovkina also appeared before the court under similar charges. She too denies any wrongdoing.