Geneva - Swiss magistrates investigating the alleged misappropriation of $4.8 billion in money lent to Russia by the IMF in 1998 have raided the offices of Runicom, a company controlled by Mr Roman Abramovich, an influential business "oligarch" with close links to the Kremlin.
Their actions followed the surprise resignation last week of Mr Nikolai Volkov, an investigator in Russia's general prosecutor's office who, during a recent trip to Switzerland to talk to his counterparts, recommended opening a formal inquiry into the misuse of IMF funds.