Swiss authorities block more Russian-connection accounts

Swiss authorities have blocked about 10 more bank accounts in their investigation of alleged Russian corruption and money laundering, a magistrate said Tuesday.

Swiss authorities have blocked about 10 more bank accounts in their investigation of alleged Russian corruption and money laundering, a magistrate said Tuesday.

Investigating Judge Daniel Devaud, who confirmed a report in the Geneva daily Le Temps that he had ordered the accounts frozen, declined to say how much money was in them or to describe their relationship and importance to the case.

Some accounts may already have been closed, Devaud said.

Swiss officials are investigating a number of allegations of
corruption and money laundering with supposed links to the Kremlin.

Last month Swiss officials said they had frozen SFr26 million ($16.8 million) in accounts suspected of being linked to the alleged United States-Russian money-laundering case centered on the Bank of New York.

Le Temps reported Tuesday that, overall, officials have blocked several dozen Russian-related accounts in Geneva, Lugano and Zurich.

The Associated Press and SRI staff contributed to this report.