One of Novato’s more infamous former residents . . .
NOVATO (CBS/AP) – A Marin County home owned by the now-imprisoned former prime minister of Ukraine has become a headache for local officials, who are trying to collect $2.1 million in back taxes and late payment fines while dealing with vandalism.
Pavlo Lazarenko’s property was vandalized by teenagers who broke in, threw an illegal house party May 27. A Pablo Picasso lithograph worth an estimated $30,000 and other items turned up missing after police broke up the party and the teens scattered.
The 19,500-square-foot home was acquired by a company linked to Lazarenko in 1998, just before his arrest in Switzerland on suspicion of money laundering.
Lazarenko fled to the U.S., where he was arrested again and eventually convicted of hiding millions of dollars in American banks.
Marin County has filed claims for back taxes and late payment fines on the property.