Arrest warrant for Yukos executive
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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A Moscow court has issued an arrest warrant for Leonid Nevzlin, a key figure in the troubled Yukos Oil Company, accusing him of involvement in contract killings in 2002.
The warrant for Nevzlin, who is reportedly in Israel, was issued Monday.
Nevzlin, who has been described as a "co-owner" of Yukos and the company's second largest stockholder, is the latest official of the oil giant to run afoul of the Russian legal system.
The warrant for Nevzlin's arrest comes amid a complex web of legal actions involving Yukos and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the company's founder and former chief executive.
Yukos has been ordered to pay $3.4 billion in back taxes for the year 2000, an amount that the company says could drive it into bankruptcy. Another $3.3 billion is being sought for 2001, and bills for other years are expected to follow.
Khodorkovsky, Russia's richest man, and associate Platon Lebedev are on trial on charges including fraud and tax evasion. (Full story)
The prosecution alleges Khodorkovsky headed a criminal group that "wished to bring harm to the government" by plotting to buy shares in a company that was being privatized by the Russian government back in 1994.
If convicted, Khodorkovsky and Lebedev could be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Yukos' tax bills are not part of Khodorkovsky's trial.
Defenders of Khodorkovsky say the case is being politically rigged to remove him from any influence in the company.
They say the Kremlin is carrying out a vendetta against Khodorkovsky because of his efforts to fund opposition political parties and challenge the government on the building of crucial oil pipelines.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
