Michael Calvey, the founder of Baring Vostok investment fund who is suspected of embezzling money from a Russian bank, is suffering from a "catastrophic" deficiency of vitamin D and needs hours-long walks, his lawyer told the court on Tuesday, while trying to challenge the extension of house arrest for the US citizen
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2020) Michael Calvey, the founder of Baring Vostok investment fund who is suspected of embezzling money from a Russian bank, is suffering from a "catastrophic" deficiency of vitamin D and needs hours-long walks, his lawyer told the court on Tuesday, while trying to challenge the extension of house arrest for the US citizen.
According to Timofey Gridnev, his defendant underwent a surgery on Friday due to a hip problem and therefore could not appear in a court hearing for his appeal against the extension of house arrest until May 13. The defense asked to either release him on bail or soften conditions of his house arrest.
"According to the results of blood tests, my client has a catastrophic deficiency of vitamin D, which can be rectified by being out in the sun for several hours daily," Gridnev added, citing a medical recommendation that Calvey got after the surgery.
The prosecutor objected, pointing out that supplements can also be used to treat vitamin D deficiency.
The court finally turned down the appeal.
Calvey, French banker Philippe Delpal and several other individuals were detained in February 2019 on charges of defrauding a Russian lender of 3 billion rubles ($38 million). According to the investigation, they offered to pay back the debt to Vostochny Bank with a controlling stake of another company that Calvey owned of allegedly tantamount value. The prosecution has found that the shares are far less valuable, worth an approximate 600,000 rubles at most.
