4 bankers who helped Putin's friend set up Swiss bank account convicted

Russian President Putin shakes hands with artistic director of St. Petersburg House of Music Sergei Roldugin in Moscow in 2016. Credit: Reuters File Photo

Four bankers who helped a close friend of Vladimir Putin move millions of francs through Swiss bank accounts have been convicted of lacking diligence in financial transactions.

The four were found guilty on Thursday of helping Sergey Roldugin, a concert cellist who has been dubbed "Putin's wallet" by the Swiss government.

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The executives - three Russians and one Swiss - helped Roldugin, who is godfather to Putin's eldest daughter Maria, deposit millions of francs in Swiss bank accounts between 2014 and 2016.

The men, who cannot be identified under Swiss reporting restrictions, were found guilty at a hearing at Zurich District Court and were given suspended sentences of seven months each.

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