£5m Surrey mansion at centre of row over Russian bank sanctions loophole

Lawyers claim the assets of a Russian banker accused of fraud can be legally sent to a bank controlled by Vladimir Putin

The 5.3m sale of a 12-bedroom mansion in Surrey involved in a case of alleged banking fraud is heading for the high court in a bid by lawyers to send some of the proceeds to one of Russia's state-controlled banks.

Lawyers believe some of the money can be transferred to one of Vladimir Putin's state-controlled banks, the National Bank Trust, without any breach of sanctions. They are seeking a court order to allow the transfer.