MOSCOW, December 6 - RAPSI. The Russian authorities are determined to interrogate former State Duma lawmaker Ashot Yegiazaryan, who is accused of fraud and who is hiding in the United States, attorney Ruben Markaryan told RAPSI. Markaryan represents the interests of Vitaly Smagin, a victim in the case against the former lawmaker.

The attorney cited the resolution of the Russian investigative authorities, who are determined to take measures to obtain the U.S. authorities' consent so that they can question Yegiazaryan.

Markaryan said that Yegiazaryan is not against being questioned in the Russian embassy in the United States.

The attorney said there were difficulties in the matter as it involves the questioning of an individual who is on the international wanted list and who is hiding in the United States. According to the attorney, this kind of thing is not regulated by Russian-US agreements.

"It is unlikely that the U.S. authorities try something like this out for a Russian MP accused of fraud," the attorney said. He believes that consent to the questioning will not be given.

Yegiazaryan was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in Russia. He is under investigation on fraud charges and faces 10 years in prison. He has been on the federal wanted list since November 2010 and on the international wanted list since late December. The State Duma (Russian parliament's lower house) consented to his arrest in March 2011.

Russian investigators believe that Yegiazaryan and three accomplices fraudulently purchased 20 percent of Centurion Alliance's shares worth a total of 1.57 billion rubles ($50.45 million).

A criminal case on fraud charges has been initiated against Yegiazaryan.