Russian government seizes assets of company suspected of fraud

MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Russian investigators seized millions of dollars from a defense contractor suspected of fraud, the Russian Investigative Committee said.

More than 750 million rubles ($23.3 million) "has been seized as evidence in the criminal case" against Alexander Yelkin, former general manager of the Slavyanka company, a subsidiary of the defense ministry's Oboronservis property service company, the committee's statement said.

Yelkin and seven other employees were charged with 17 offenses involving embezzlement of state funds, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Friday -- adding the investigation into the scandal was the official reason given for the firing of Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov last year.