The director of a firm connected to a Kazakhstan-headquartered energy firm is facing charges connected to a corruption investigation in the UK.
Anna Machkevitch, director of London-based ALM Services UK Ltd and the Machkevitch Foundation, is accused of failing to supply documents connected to an investigation run by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into Eurasian Natural Resources corporation (ENRC) .
She is required to attend Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday 5 July 2019.
Ms Machkevitch, 36, will face charges of “failing to comply with a notice given by the SFO without reasonable excuse”.
The SFO said “this is a criminal offence and carries a prison sentence of up to 6 months and an unlimited fine”.
The SFO’s investigation into ENRC is ongoing and focused on allegations of serious fraud, bribery and corruption in relation to the acquisition and retention of substantial mineral assets.
The investigation into ENRC by the SFO is “ongoing and focused on allegations of serious fraud, bribery and corruption” in relation to the acquisition and retention of substantial mineral assets”.
Ian Ryan, partner at Howard Kennedy and lawyer acting for Ms Machkevitch, said: “This is a very aggressive and unjustified move by the SFO against Ms Machkevitch and one made without any notice to her or her lawyers.
“Ms Machkevitch has cooperated fully with the section two notice and is confident she will be exonerated by the court.”