[JURIST] Russian prosecutors have brought fresh embezzlement charges against exiled business tycoon Boris Berezovsky [BBC profile; JURIST news archive], a lawyer appointed to Berezovsky's case said Monday. The charges assert that in 1997 Berezovsky took part in a $13 million scheme to embezzle credit funds from SBS-Agro Bank [EBRD profile], which he then owned, to purchase real estate in southern France. The Moscow City Court ordered the seizure of Berezovsky's French manor after the new charges were brought. Prosecutors have asked police to issue a warrant for Berezovsky's arrest on the new charges.

These are the latest in a series of charges brought against the Russian billionaire and alleged coup plotter. Earlier this month, a Moscow court began trying Berezovsky in absentia [JURIST report] for allegedly embezzling millions from Russian national airline Aeroflot [corporate website]. Berezovsky left Russia in 2001 after falling out of favor with Russian President Vladimir Putin [official website] for vocally opposing the war in Chechnya [Wikipedia backgrounder] and was granted asylum in Great Britain. Russian authorities have demanded that the UK extradite Berezovsky, who is also facing charges of allegedly plotting a coup [JURIST reports] against Putin. RIA Novosti has more.