An Austrian court has approved the extradition of Ukrainian tycoon Dmytro Firtash to the United States to face bribery allegations, overturning an earlier ruling that had said the U.S. request was politically motivated. A lower court had blocked Firtash’s extradition two years ago, ruling that the request by the U.S. Justice Department was politically motivated and tied to an effort by the State Department to influence Ukrainian politics and undermine Russia. Austrian prosecutors appealed that ruling on behalf of the U.S.

Firtash, who made billions as a middleman between Russia and Ukraine in the natural gas business, was a main political patron and financial backer of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February 2014 after months of street protests, the so-called Maidan Revolution. U.S. prosecutors charged him, under the Federal Corrupt Practices Act, with allegedly paying $18.5 million in bribes to regional officials in India in an effort to secure a titanium mining deal, which ultimately never materialized.
An Austrian court grants a United States request to extradite Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash. U.S. officials accuse Firtash of being involved in a scandal where he allegedly paid US$18.5 million in bribes for a permit to mine titanium in India, something Firtash denies.