Mysterious deaths related to Russian gas giant Gazprom may be linked to ... trends now
Mysterious deaths among business executives at Russian energy giant Gazprom are allegedly linked to a complex 'money-laundering scheme' benefiting a top gas executive's family and his cronies at Vladimir Putin's security services.
Novaya Gazeta Europe, a leading investigative news outlet, and Transparency International Russia, claimed that the high-profile Russian businessmen who have died in suspicious circumstances were linked to a multi-million dollar money-laundering scheme.
The day after the war in Ukraine started, Alexander Tyulyakov, deputy head of corporate security at Gazprom's United Settlement Centre, the energy giant's 'treasury' allegedly committed suicide.
He died in Gazprom's guarded Leninsky corporate village in Leningrad region, near St Petersburg on 25 February 2022. His body was reportedly discovered by his lover.
His neck was in a noose in his £500,000 home yet there are strong suspicions he did not take his own life.
The day after the war in Ukraine started, Alexander Tyulyakov (left), deputy head of corporate security at Gazprom's United Settlement Centre, the energy giant's 'treasury' allegedly committed suicide. Two months later Vladislav Avayev, 51, (right) a vice-president of Gazprombank and former Kremlin official, was found dead in Moscow
Sergey Protosenya was found hanged in Spain, after appearing to kill his wife Natalia, 53, and their teenage daughter, Maria, with an axe
A suicide note was found near the body of a man revealed as a former KGB and FSB officer, but his death has remained 'mysterious', said the report, not least since his body was 'badly beaten' before death.
Two months later Vladislav Avayev, 51, a vice-president of Gazprombank and former Kremlin official, was found dead in Moscow, alongside the bodies of his wife Elena, 47, and daughter Maria, 13. They were discovered by his adult daughter, Anastasia.
Investigators rapidly concluded Avayev had killed them, before taking his own life.
However, this was strongly disputed at the time including by a former top Gazprombank official who claimed Avayev had access to the private accounts of elite clients, including Vladimir Putin's circle and possibly the president himself.
'These top managers worked in structures that we suspect were linked to financial fraud in multi-billion dollar contracts with Gazprom,' said Novaya Gazeta Europe
