AS Monaco president reappears in Moscow after corruption-linked investigation

The president of the football club AS Monaco reappeared here on Saturday, a few days after being charged in a corruption case by the Mediterranean principality's police.

Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, who has owned AS Monaco since December 2011, was arrested on November 6 and conditionally released on the following day after being questioned within an investigation into alleged corruption and influence peddling regarding a dispute with Geneva art dealer Yves Bouvier, reports Efe.

A representative for Rybolovlev told Russian media that the billionaire was now in Moscow and had not been banned from leaving Monaco.

The representative declined to comment on how long Rybolovlev would stay in the Russian capital and if he planned to return to Monaco.

On November 7, AS Monaco dismissed the accusations filed against its president, stressing that the club "firmly denies defamatory remarks" and insisted that Rybolovlev "did not withdraw one euro" from the accounts of the French club following the transfer of France forward Kylian Mbappe to Paris Saint-Germain.

French media outlets reported a few days ago that the case was still open and could yet lead to new charges, despite the Russian tycoon's release from custody.

The French club said that it was considering taking legal procedures to assert Rybolovlev's rights.

"Each season since his arrival, the club has regularly suffered financial losses. Dmitry Rybolovlev has, whenever necessary and in the interest of the club, played his role as shareholder and compensated for the deficits," the Ligue 1 side said at the time in a press release on its official website

Despite the recent arrival of Thierry Henry to replace Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim, Monaco is still struggling after the team was eliminated from the current edition of the UEFA Champions League and is presently in the relegation zone of the French Ligue 1 standings.

--IANS

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