Romanian prosecutors may yet force a managing director of investment banking at Credit Suisse to remain imprisoned until mid-January on commercial espionage charges, despite a recent appeals court ruling that he should walk free.

Vadim Benyatov, Credit's Suisse's managing director for central and eastern Europe, and Stamen Stancev, a consultant working for Credit Suisse, were arrested last month on charges of commercial espionage during an investigation into the sale of state assets. Also arrested were Dorinel Mucea, the deputy head of the Romanian agency in charge of energy industry asset-sales, and Mihai Donciu, a Romanian Communications Ministry adviser.