Prosecutors seek indictment against Russian energy exec

(ANSA) - Milan, March 26 - Milan prosecutors on Thursday requested a criminal indictment against Russian businessman Igor Akhmerov for allegedly defrauding Italy of 59 million euros in the solar panel sector, sources said Thursday.
    Akhmerov, 49, co-owns the Zurich-based Avelar Energy Group, whose largest shareholder is Russian oil, gas, coal and energy conglomerate Renova Group.
    Renova is headed by oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.
    Prosecutors believe Akhmerov and two executives in Avelar's Italian division, Marco Giorgi and Gianpiero Coppola, are guilty of criminal association.
    Together, the suspects allegedly "used solar panel companies" their company owned in the southern Basilicata and Puglia regions to defraud Gestore Servizi Energetici - a company that is wholly owned by the economy ministry - by illicitly obtaining millions in benefits and incentives to produce solar power.
    Akhmerov was arrested last July.