Mints, together with his sons Alexander and Dmitry, is charged with the theft of $473 million (₽30 billion rubles), as reported by the Moscow business daily Vedomosti, citing Alexander's lawyer Fedor Kupriyanov. Their extradition is also sought. Dmitry's lawyer Elena Kupriyanova says the defendants consider themselves “not guilty.” Successful convictions could lead to prison sentences of up to ten years.

“The court received a request from investigators for the enactment of a preventive measure in the form of detention in absentia against Boris Iosifovich Mints, accused under Article 160, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of Russia (embezzlement),” said Irina Morozova, spokesperson for Moscow’s Basmanny district court, which will consider the investigators’ request on Friday morning.

Mints set up the investment firm, O1 Group, which specializes in the acquisition and management of real estate. In 2018, Vedomosti revealed that Russian cops were looking into the mogul after a tip-off from Mikhail Zadornov, chairman of the board of banking giant Otkritie, which Mints co-founded. According to its sources, the situation is connected with unsecured bonds of O1 Group Finance on the balance sheet of Otkritie Financial Corporation.

In 2017, Oktritie collapsed, requiring an $8 billion government bailout. The following year, Russian authorities requested the UK High Court to freeze $615 million (£470 million) of Mints’ assets, including around 140 properties. The British agreed only to prevent Mints, and his sons, from disposing of their assets.

The billionaire was listed on the so-called ‘Kremlin list’, compiled by US Congress. It featured wealthy Russian business people who could be subjected to sanctions.

Mints and his family left for London in May 2018.

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