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‘Assassination risk’ leads Russian to sue in London

July 10, 2008 23:00

ByMarcus Dysch, Marcus Dysch

1 min read

An Israel-based oligarch will fight a $4 billion legal dispute in London after a judge deemed it to be unsafe for the case to be heard in Russia.

Michael Cherney is suing his former business partner, Oleg Deripaska, Russia’s richest man, in an attempt to recover an alleged debt.

Last Friday, Mr Justice Clark said any hearing in Russia could involve “improper interference”, due to Mr Deripaska’s links to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He said Mr Cherney, who left Russia for Israel in 1994, could face the threat of assassination and would be unlikely to get a fair hearing.