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Putin Ally’s Son Slipped U.S. Clutches With Help From Serbian Gang: WSJ

Artyom Uss disappeared the day after his extradition to the U.S. was approved.

A Russian businessman managed to flee house arrest in Italy and avoid extradition to the U.S. with the help of a Serbian gang, according to The Wall Street Journal. Artyom Uss—the son of a politician close to Vladimir Putin—was arrested in Milan at the request of U.S. authorities in October. Italy later approved Uss’ extradition to the U.S. to face charges of breaking sanctions relating to oil and military technology, as well as money laundering, and he could have faced up to 30 years if convicted. But on March 22, the day after his extradition request was approved by a court in Milan, Uss disappeared. Sources cited by the Journal said he broke out of his ankle monitor before a criminal gang helped to ferry Uss out of Italy to Serbia, from where he is thought to have flown back to Moscow. His galling escape was also allegedly made possible thanks to the decision by Italian authorities to grant Uss’ request to be detained in house arrest, despite warnings from the U.S. that he would attempt to flee.