AP Exclusive: Fearful Russian Lawmaker Flees to U.S.

[Leithan]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON — A wealthy Russian lawmaker has fled with his family to the United States, where he says he fears assassination over accusations that some of Russia's richest and most influential people swindled him in a real estate deal. Back home, he's been charged with financial crimes.

Ashot Egiazaryan (pronounced Ah-shawt Yeh-gee-ah-zar-ee-AHN) says he is considering seeking asylum in the U.S. But after suing a Russian billionaire and several former business partners – including a close friend of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Moscow's former mayor – he said he doesn't feel safe even in this country.

"I do think it's possible than an assassination attempt can be mounted against me here," he said flanked by lawyers in a conference room a few blocks the White House. The interview with The Associated Press was his first with Western media and came a few weeks after one of his relatives was gunned down in the Russian city of Astrakhan on Dec. 7, an attack he claims is connected with his suit.

The struggle over the Moskva Hotel, a prime piece of Moscow real estate, is now being waged in a civil court in Cyprus, the London Court of International Arbitration, on the Web and on Capitol Hill. It provides a rare insider's view of the often ruthless world of money, power and politics in Russia, where wealth and connections can sometimes trump property rights and the rule of law.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110206/us-fugitive-russian-lawmaker/

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This is one of the very few areas where I agree with conservatives: I still don't trust the Russian government.

[Pirate Smile]

1. It certainly isn't just conservatives who don't trust the Russian government. That seems just like

common sense based on what we've seen.

[Leithan]

2. Agreed

[indimuse]

3. yummy... n/t