Ukrainian Oligarch Firtash Released On $172 Million Bail

Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash has been under investigation in the United States since 2006 for bribery and forming a criminal organization.

Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash has been released from detention after Austrian authorities say they verified that the 125 million euros ($172 million) bail he posted was not money obtained illegally.

The amount is a record sum for bail in Austrian history.

A Vienna court said on March 21 that Firtash was released after he pledged he would not leave Austria.

The oligarch transferred money for bail earlier this week, but Austrian investigators wanted to check into the origins of the money before freeing him from detention.

Firtash was arrested in Vienna on March 12 at the request of U.S. authorities.

He has been under investigation in the United States since 2006 for bribery and forming a criminal organization.

Firtash was a supporter of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters