THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) arrested a Russian fugitive who is wanted for large-scale fraud in his country last March 5 at the BI’s main office in Intramuros, Manila. In a press statement, the BI said Likharev Anton, 37, was caught by immigration officers when he attempted to extend his temporary visitor’s visa. He arrived in the country in 2016 and has not left since. The BI Board of Commissioners issued in Dec. 2018 a deportation order against Mr. Likharev based on information that he is wanted by Russian courts “for large-scale crimes involving acquisition of other people’s property by means of deceit.” “We will not allow fraudsters like him to hide in the Philippines, as they pose a risk to public interest,” BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said in the statement. The Russian national was turned over to the BI Fugitive Search Unit pending his deportation. Mr. Likharev already made headlines in the country in 2017 after he was arrested for violation of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines and a municipal ordinance for killing a green sea turtle with a spear in Dauin, Negros Oriental. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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