US prosecutors have filed charges against 49 Russian diplomats, including some of the most senior figures in the New York mission. They and their families are accused of feigning poverty, while spending “tens of thousands” on luxury clothes and holidays.

“Diplomacy should be about extending hands, not picking pockets in the host country,” said Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, who led an 18-month investigation, at a televised press conference.

According to the indictment, the diplomats are suspected of engaging in “general patterns of misrepresentations”, including grossly underreporting their incomes, and falsely claiming their children have US citizenship to receive free healthcare.

 The indictment alleges that since 2004, out of 63 births, 58 were performed for free, using the Medicaid provision. http://rt.com/news/russia-consulate-medicaid-fraud-783/