Ukranian billionaire Dmitry Firtash was charged with bribery in the United States. The businessman who got his fortune from a gas trade deal with Russia was indicted with bribery for an Indian mining project valued USD500 million. Firtash said that the case was politically inclined, reported Bloomberg.

The 48 year old billionaire allegedly collaborated with five other men. The report said he and the other men met with the government officials in India. The meeting transpired to offer bribes of us much as USD18.5 million to ensure the project would push through. The project was said to produce sales for titanium products to companies that including an Illinois-based firm.

In a statement yesterday, Chicago US lawyer Zachary Fardon said that, “Firtash was the leader of the enterprise.”
Meanwhile, Firtash has been fighting an extradition from Austria and was believed to be linked to a company considered by the US to be corrupt. Firtash was said to be associated with the OAO Gazprom, said former Soviet Union’s Gas Ministry analyst Mikhail Korchemkin.

Firtash and the five other men were arrested last month in Vienna. The group was freed after posting bail valued EUR125 million.