Headline: Borodin gives Putin dilemma Source: Euromoney Date: February 2001 Author: Ben Aris
Borodin caught Boris Yeltsin’s eye through his adroit administration and Siberian dumplings and Yeltsin gave him control of the government’s $650 billion property portfolio. He rebuilt the Russian White House after Yeltsin unleashed tanks on it in the fracas with communist hardliners and restored Kremlin palaces, churches, and Yeltsin's residence to their tsarist splendour. But at the end of Yeltsin’s term he was caught up in a corruption scandal. Swiss companies Mabetex and Mercata Trading were accused of paying kickbacks, some allegedly to Yeltsin allies. Bernard Bertossa, Geneva's chief prosecutor, says Borodin is wanted for involvement in laundering $25 million. A Russian investigation was dropped for lack of evidence.But Putin gave Borodin the job of running the presidential household, with authority to give Duma deputies houses, cars and even suits. |