▁in ▁comm itting ▁illegal ▁business ▁de als ▁and ▁sm ugg ling ▁of ▁hardware ▁from ▁Germany . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁reported ▁to ▁have ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Russian ▁ma f ia , ▁including ▁eth nic ▁Georg ian ▁mob ster ▁Tar iel ▁On iani . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Tok ht akh oun ov ▁was ▁accused ▁in ▁b ri ber y ▁of ▁ice ▁sk ating ▁jud ges ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Winter ▁Olympics . ▁He ▁was ▁arrested ▁in ▁Italy ▁by ▁US ▁request , ▁but ▁the ▁Italian ▁court ▁den ounced ▁the ▁extr ad ition ▁bid ▁and ▁fre ed ▁Tok ht akh oun ov . ▁ ▁In ▁Russia ▁he ▁was ▁investig ated ▁about ▁the ▁leg ality ▁of ▁his ▁Russian ▁citizens hip . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁not ably ▁close ▁to ▁professional ▁Russian ▁tennis ▁players . ▁For ▁instance , ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁article ▁in ▁the ▁Belg ium ▁daily ▁La ▁Lib re ▁Belgique ▁ ▁reported ▁on ▁inter views ▁of ▁Russian ▁players ▁following ▁Tok ht akh oun ov ' s ▁arrest ▁in ▁Italy : ▁Y ev gen y ▁K af eln ik ov ▁def ended ▁his ▁" friend ", ▁Mar at ▁Saf in ▁refused ▁to ▁discuss ▁a ▁topic ▁that ▁was ▁" not ▁his ▁problem ", ▁while ▁Anna ▁K ourn ik ova ▁commented ▁" I ▁have ▁heard ▁of ▁this ▁man . ▁But ▁I ▁don ' t ▁think ▁I ▁should ▁talk ▁about ▁it . ▁I ▁am ▁Russian ▁and ▁I ▁will ▁have ▁to ▁go ▁back ▁there ". ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁has ▁a ▁current ▁arrest