▁ ▁The ▁Ver kh ov na ▁R ada ▁voted ▁to ▁wa ive ▁Laz aren ko ' s ▁parliament ary ▁imm unity ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 9 ; ▁however , ▁Laz aren ko ▁fled ▁the ▁country ▁on ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁vote . ▁He ▁initially ▁stopped ▁in ▁Greece ▁but ▁was ▁det ained ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁at ▁J F K ▁air port ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁on ▁susp icion ▁of ▁il leg ally ▁entering ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Laz aren ko ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁large ▁amount ▁of ▁documents ▁with ▁him , ▁including ▁a ▁Ukrain ian ▁diplom atic ▁pass port ▁with ▁an ▁out dated ▁U . S . ▁vis a , ▁and ▁he ▁requested ▁political ▁as yl um . ▁Laz aren ko ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁a ▁j ail ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁since ▁his ▁family ▁owned ▁a ▁ran ch ▁in ▁California . ▁Ukrain ian ▁authorities ▁requested ▁his ▁extr ad ition ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁after ▁charg ing ▁him ▁over ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁killing ▁of ▁Y ev hen ▁Sh cher ban ▁and ▁two ▁attempts ▁on ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁high - ran king ▁officials . ▁The ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁Pro sec utor ▁General ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁also ▁claimed ▁that ▁Laz aren ko ▁inst ig ated ▁the ▁assass ination ▁of ▁V ad ym ▁Het man ▁in ▁late ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Laz aren ko ▁was ▁put ▁on ▁trial