UNITED NATIONS, Sept 2: The chairman of the United Nations budget committee was arrested by the FBI on Thursday on money laundering charges after the UN Secretary General lifted his immunity on the American government’s request.

Vadim Kuznetsov, who heads the General Assembly panel that oversees the UN budget, was the second Russian UN official to have been arrested by the FBI for on money laundering charges in recent weeks.

US Ambassador John Bolton thanked the Secretary General for lifting Mr Kuznetsov’s immunity.

“Our understanding was that Mr Kuznetsov was brought into custody yesterday evening,” said Mr Bolton, adding ‘this is now a serious law enforcement matter and we will have no further comment’.