A German investigation into Russian-Uzbek billionaire businessman Alisher Usmanov, who is accused of money-laundering and tax evasion, has strained diplomatic ties between Germany and Uzbekistan, Spiegel news magazine reported on Friday.
Germany's Foreign Office did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
A series of crisis talks have been held between the countries' diplomats, Spiegel reported, including the summoning of the German ambassador in Tashkent in late September.
This followed searches carried out at properties registered to Usmanov on the shores of Lake Tegernsee in southern Germany on Sept. 21. The following week, German police also searched a motor yacht in northern Germany as part of the probe.
The Uzbek ambassador to Berlin appealed to the German Foreign Office for an appointment with the Federal Criminal Police Office, without success, Spiegel reported.
Usmanov, who is said to have close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, was placed on the European Union's sanctions list after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
His spokesperson has rejected the accusations against him as baseless and defamatory.
(Writing by Rachel More, Editing by Miranda Murray and Angus MacSwan)
