Kozeny's extradition from the Bahamas could be complicated by new ruling

Another Czech fugitive businessman - Viktor Kozeny - also wanted for extensive fraud and corruption both in the Czech Republic and the United States remains in the Bahamas. Czech efforts to secure his extradition have not been successful and although it seemed that the United States would have more clout in this respect hopes that he would be brought to justice have now suffered a significant setback. A Chicago judge recently dismissed bribery charges against two of Kozeny's alleged accomplices - American businessmen accused of trying to pay-off top Azerbaijan officials over the country's abandoned 1990s oil privatisation programme. Judge Scheindlin dismissed the bribery counts against David Pinkerton, the former managing director of AIG Global Investment Corporation, and Frederic Bourke, the handbag tycoon, after ruling that the statute of limitations on the charges had expired. The pair still stands accused of making false statements. Although the judge did not dismiss the charges against Kozeny observers say this ruling is likely to help his defence.