Sobchak to Get Her Money Back

Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com –  September 28, 2012

Federal investigators will return the almost $2 million in cash they seized from the apartment of it-girl-turned-political activist Ksenia Sobchak in June, the Investigative Committee said late Thursday.

“Checks conducted by investigators revealed no tax evasion by Sobchak,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement posted on its website.

The money will be returned to Sobchak via bank transfer to her account, the statement said.

Police seized about 1.1 million euros, $522,000 and 485,000 rubles found stuffed in more than 100 envelopes in Sobchak’s apartment during one of several dawn raids on the homes of opposition activists on June 11.

The raids were ostensibly connected with investigations into violence that broke out at a May 6 opposition march but were widely seen as an attempt to intimidate the opposition ahead of an anti-Kremlin March of Millions on June 12.

Investigators seized the money on the grounds that it could have been laundered or held in cash to allow Sobchak to avoid paying taxes.

Sobchak protested at the time that the cash had been honestly earned and that she had the right to keep cash at home.

The TV presenter confirmed on Twitter that her lawyers had been notified of the bank transfer, but she said she was so far unable to verify the news.

“I don’t know if it’s true they will return the money, but this evening I already feel like a million dollars!!!” she wrote.