Rao allegedly solicited bribes for himself and others in return for approving licenses for the project and he warned other defendants concerning the threat of a possible law enforcement investigation of the project, it says.
The indictment lists 57 transfers of funds between various entities, some controlled by Group DF, in various amounts totaling more than USD 10.59 million beginning April 28, 2006, through to July 13, 2010.
The indictment seeks forfeiture from Firtash of his interests in Group DF Limited and its assets, including 14 companies registered in Austria and 18 companies registered in the British Virgin Islands, as well as 127 other companies registered in Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Seychelles, Switzerland, the UK and one unknown jurisdiction and all funds in 41 bank accounts in many of those countries.
Furthermore, the indictment seeks forfeiture from all six defendants of more than USD 10.59 million. As alleged in court documents, Firtash controls Group DF, an international conglomerate of companies that was directly and indirectly owned by Group DF Limited, a British Virgin Islands company.
Group DF companies include: Ostchem Holding AG, an Austrian company in the business of mining and processing minerals, including titanium, Global Energy Mining and Minerals Limited, a Hungarian company, and Bothli Trade AG, a Swiss company, for which Global Energy Mining and Minerals was the majority shareholder.
In April 2006, Bothli Trade and the state government of Andhra Pradesh agreed to set up a joint venture to mine various minerals, including ilmenite, a mineral which may be processed into various titanium-based products such as titanium sponge, a porous form of the mineral that occurs in the processing of titanium ore, the Department of Justice said.
In February 2007, Company A entered into an agreement with Ostchem Holding, through Bothli Trade, to work toward a further agreement that would allow Bothli Trade the ability to supply 5 million to 12 million pounds of titanium sponge from the Indian project to Company A on an annual basis.
The mining project required licenses and approval of both the Andhra Pradesh state government and the central government of India before the licenses could be issued.
