Russian Oligarchs and the Rule of Law

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WORLD EVENTS: 25-OCT-03 - 31-MAY-05

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25-Oct-03

31-May-05

585

0.03

Date

1-Jan-05

31-May-05

151

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0.26

5.00

-426

25-Oct-03

Novosibirsk, Russia

Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, the Richest Man in Russia, and the Head of the Oil Company Yukos, Is Arrested [1]. Khodorkovsky Is Charged with 7 Counts, Including "Personal Income Tax Evasion, Overseeing Corporate Tax Evasion, Falsifying Documents and Theft" [2].

1. Erin E. Arvedlund and Neela Banerjee. Arrest of Oil Chief Could Roil Russian Stock Market. NYT, 27-Oct-03.

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/27/business/worldbusiness/27russia.htm

25-Oct-03

2. Catherine Belton. Khodorkovsky Arrested on 7 Charges. The Moscow Times, 27-Oct-03.

2. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/10/27/001.html

25-Oct-03

Yukos is worth about $14.2 billon. Khodorkovsky acquired Yukos for about $200 million in a "rigged auction" in 1995. Yukos denies the charges. [2]

3. Valeria Korchagina. The Elite Demand Some Answers. The Moscow Times, 27-Oct-03. (Catherine Belton contributed to this report.)

3. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/10/27/002.html

25-Oct-03

4. Dmitry Slobodanuk. Russian Oil Tycoon Detained. Pravda, 25-Oct-03. (Translated from Russian by Maria Gousseva.)

4. http://english.pravda.ru/accidents/21/96/383/11155_yukos.html

25-Oct-03

5. Russian Tycoon Sent to Jail. Aljazeera.net, 26-Oct-03.

5. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/CDF3D115-25A5-40DB-A1C9-90945150F665.htm

25-Oct-03

30-Oct-03

U.S.; Canada; U.K.

U.S. Media Cast the Struggle Between President Vladimir Putin and Oligarchs Boris Berezovsky, Vladimir Gusinsky. and Mikhail Khodorkovsky (Who Has Been Accused of Tax-Evasion, Fraud, and Theft), Primarily as "Infighting" Between "Ex-KGB Officers," Who Are Essentially "Nationalistic, Anti-Western, and Anti-Semitic," and "Liberal, Pro-Western Yeltsin Loyalists" -- And Not as a Struggle Against Corporate Malfeasance. Apparently, Many of the "Politically Active Oligarchs" Charged with Malfeasance Are Jewish. [1]

1. Putin's Blunder. The Christian Science Monitor, 30-Oct-03.

1. http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1030/p08s03-comv.html?entryBottomStory

30-Oct-03

2. S.A. Greene. Kremlin Targets Jewish Tycoons In War on Critics. Forward, 31-Oct-03.

2. http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.10.31/news5.khodorkovsky.html

30-Oct-03

Some Are Concerned that the Kremlin Has Charged the Tycoons of "Economic Crimes" Because They Are "Rossiisky" Jews. [2]

3. Leon Aron, Director of Russian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Crime and Punishment for Capitalists. NYT, Op/Ed, 30-Oct-03.

3. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/30/opinion/30ARON.html

30-Oct-03

4. Steven Lee Myers (Moscow, 29-Oct-03). Hints in Russia of Crisis Over Tycoon Case. NYT, 30-Oct-03.

4. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/30/international/europe/30RUSS.html

30-Oct-03

According to The Globe & Mail, Russia, under President Vladimir Putin's rule, "remains a place where police regularly extract bribes on the street, and where higher authorities exercise power with impunity" [7]. According to EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, what Russia needs is the "rule of law" [8].

5. Harry Mount. Nobody Loves You When You're Rich, Says President's Jailed Foe. The Daily Telegraph, 30-Oct-03.

5. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/10/30/wkhod130.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/10/30/ixworld.html

30-Oct-03

6. Catherine Belton. Khodorkovsky for President in 2004? The Moscow Times, 30-Oct-03.

6. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/10/30/002.html

30-Oct-03

For an explanation of why the American press is defending Mikhail Khodorkovsky, "a thief with eight billion dollars," see the article by Matt Taibbi in the New York Press [10].

7. Mark MacKinnon. Yukos Case Raises Doubt. CEO's Arrest Signals that Russia's Courts Are Not Independent. The Globe & Mail, 29-Oct-03, B7.

7. http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20031029/IBRUSS29/TPBusiness/International

30-Oct-03

8. EU`s Patten Says Russia Needs Rule of Law on YUKOS. Gateway to Russia, 29-Oct-03.

8. http://www.gateway2russia.com/st/art_160826.php

30-Oct-03

9. Russia Faces Fallout from YUKOS Share Seizure (Agencies). China Daily, 31-Oct-03.

9. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/31/content_277250.htm

30-Oct-03

10. Matt Taibbi. Oligarchs R Us. Deep Politics Swirl Behind the Arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. New York Press, Vol. 16, Issue 45, 4-Nov-03.

10. http://www.nypress.com/16/45/news&columns/cage.cfm

30-Oct-03

3-Nov-03

Moscow, Russia

Jailed Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky Resigns as CEO of Yukos Oil. Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev Control Group Menatep, a Financial Company. [1]

1. Steven Lee Myers and Sabrina Tavernise (Moscow, 3-Nov-03). In Resigning Oil Post, Jailed Russian Hints at Political Fight. NYT, 4-Nov-03.

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/04/international/europe/04RUSS.html

3-Nov-03

2. Andrew Meier (Washington). Autumn of the Oligarchs? NYT, Op-Ed, 5-Nov-0

2. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/opinion/05MEIE.html

3-Nov-03

Khodorkovsky purchased controlling interest in Yukos for a mere $309 million. The market value of Yukos was estimated at $45 billion, after it merged with Sibneft. U.S. investigators alleged that Menatep was involved in laundering billions of dollars [2].

3-Nov-03

11-Nov-03

Moscow, Russia

Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, Former Chairman of Yukos, Is Denied Bail. He Remains Behind Bars in Moscow Pending an Investigation of Tax-Evasion, Fraud, and Theft [1,2].

1. Valeria Korchagina and Alex Nicholson. Khodorkovsky Denied Bail by Court. The Moscow Times, 12-Nov-03.

1. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/11/12/001.html

11-Nov-03

2. Steven Lee Myers (Moscow, 11-Nov-03). Moscow Court Turns Down Oil Tycoon's Bid for Release on Bail. NYT, 12-Nov-03.

2. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/12/international/europe/12RUSS.html

11-Nov-03

28-Nov-03

Moscow, Russia

Sibneft, Controlled by Roman Abramovich, Suspends Its Merger with Yukos [1-32]. Former Yukos CEO, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Has Been Charged with 11 Crimes, Including Tax Evasion, Fraud, and Alleged "Theft" [4]. Leonid Nevzlin, Yukos's Second-Largest Shareholder, Fled Russia to Israel [3].

1. Erin E. Arvedlund (Moscow). Russian Oil Companies Suspend $11 Billion Merger. NYT, 28-Nov-03.

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/28/business/worldbusiness/28CND-YUKO.html

28-Nov-03

2. Nick Paton Walsh (Moscow). Russian Oil Merger Is Called Off. The Guardian, 29-Nov-03.

2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1095729,00.html

28-Nov-03

3. Susan B. Glasser and Peter Baker (Moscow, 28-Nov-03). Merger Unravels Between Russian Oil Companies. Market Falls Again As Deal Is Put Off. The Washington Post, 29-Nov-03, A10.

3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19211-2003Nov28.html

28-Nov-03

4. Valeria Korchagina. New Charge for Khodorkovsky. The Moscow Times, 28-Nov-03.

4. http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2003/11/28/041.html

28-Nov-03

3-Feb-04

Moscow, Russia

Agents of the Oligarchs Who Founded Yukos and Sibneft Sign a Protocol to Demerge. Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, Yukos’s Core Shareholder, Is in Jail Awaiting Trial on Tax Evasion and Fraud Charges. [1-2]

1. Erin E. Arvedlund (Moscow, 3-Feb-04). Oil Giants in Russia Reach Pact on Breakup. NYT, 4-Feb-04.

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/business/worldbusiness/04yukos.html

3-Feb-04

2. Yukos-Sibneft Agree to Part Ways. Gulf Daily News, 3-Feb-04.Yukos.

2. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Articles.asp?Article=73226&Sn=BUSI

3-Feb-04

3. Sibneft Sign Divorce (Moscow, Russia) (Reuters). CNN, 3-Feb-04.

3. http://edition.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/02/03/yukos.sibneft.reut

3-Feb-04

16-May-05

17-May-05

Moscow, Russia

Opening remarks appear to indicate that the court considers Khodorkovsky, formerly Russia’s richest oligarch, guilty of alleged fraud [1-2].

1. Steven Lee Myers. (Moscow, 16-May-05.) Russian Court Delays Ruling in Fraud Trial of Oil Tycoon. NYT, 17-May-05. (Sophia Kishkovsky contributed reporting forthis article.)

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/17/international/europe/17russia.html

16-May-05

467

2. Jason Bush. The Fate of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Business Week, 17-May-05.

2. http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2005/nf20050517_1831_db016.htm

16-May-05

See 25-Oct-03, 30-Oct-03, 3-Nov-03, 11-Nov-03, 28-Nov-03, 3-Feb-04, 5-Jul-04

3. Artyom Liss. Yukos trial fuels Moscow tension. BBC News, 16-May-05.

3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4553299.stm

16-May-05

31-May-05

Moscow, Russia

Moscow Meshchansky Court sentences Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, former CEO of Yukos Oil company, to 9 years for fraud and tax evasion [1-4]; Platon Lebedev and Andrei Krainov are also charged [2,3].

1. Bill Gasperini. (Moscow.) Yukos Founder Sentenced to Nine Years for Fraud and Tax Evasion. VOA News, 31-May-05.

1. http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-05-31-voa4.cfm

31-May-05

2. Khodorkovsky gets nine years in jail. Aljazeera.net, 31-May-05. (AP,)

2. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BD754124-EB24-4368-9E3C-B11484DC19DA.htm

31-May-05

3. Khodorkovsky jailed for nine years. (Moscow, Russia.) CNN International, 31-May-05. (Associated Press contributed to this report.)

3. http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/05/31/khodorkovsky/index.html

31-May-05

4. C.J. Chivers and Erin E. Arvedlund. (Moscow.) Russian Oil Tycoon Is Convicted and Sentenced to 9 Years in Jail. NYT, 31-May-05.

4. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/31/international/europe/31cnd-russia.html

31-May-05

5. Catherine Belton. Judges Hammer Defense's Case. The Moscow Times, 31-May-05.

5. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/05/31/002.html

31-May-05

6. Marina Lepina. Sentencing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky Delayed. The YUKOS affair. Kommersant, 31-May-05.

6. http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=581639

31-May-05

OLIGARCHS-1-Jun-05

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