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| Vladimir Putin ally found dead in Washington hotel | Vladimir Putin ally found dead in Washington hotel |
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| A former high-level adviser to Vladimir Putin who helped establish the Russia Today news channel has been found dead in a hotel room in Washington. | |
| The body of Mikhail Lesin was found in a room in the plush Dupont Circle hotel on Thursday morning, the Russian embassy in Washington said. Russia Today, or RT, reported that Lesin, 57, had died of a heart attack. | The body of Mikhail Lesin was found in a room in the plush Dupont Circle hotel on Thursday morning, the Russian embassy in Washington said. Russia Today, or RT, reported that Lesin, 57, had died of a heart attack. |
| Police have opened a formal investigation into his death despite there being no signs of foul play. It is thought Lesin had been suffering from an unidentified illness. | Police have opened a formal investigation into his death despite there being no signs of foul play. It is thought Lesin had been suffering from an unidentified illness. |
| After the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Lesin set up Video International, which became a multi-billion dollar advertising agency and remains one of Russia’s biggest. | After the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Lesin set up Video International, which became a multi-billion dollar advertising agency and remains one of Russia’s biggest. |
| He served as the country’s press minister from 1999 to 2004 and was Putin’s media adviser for the following five years before becoming a senior executive at Gazprom-Media, Russia’s largest media group, in 2013. | He served as the country’s press minister from 1999 to 2004 and was Putin’s media adviser for the following five years before becoming a senior executive at Gazprom-Media, Russia’s largest media group, in 2013. |
| RT was set up in 2005 to convey a pro-Kremlin interpretation of world events. It broadcasts in English, Spanish and Arabic as well as Russian and launched a UK-focused channel last year. | RT was set up in 2005 to convey a pro-Kremlin interpretation of world events. It broadcasts in English, Spanish and Arabic as well as Russian and launched a UK-focused channel last year. |
| It has come under repeated criticism from the UK’s broadcasting watchdog. Ofcom sanctioned it in September for breaching the broadcasting code four times in a series of misleading or biased programmes on the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. | It has come under repeated criticism from the UK’s broadcasting watchdog. Ofcom sanctioned it in September for breaching the broadcasting code four times in a series of misleading or biased programmes on the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. |
| The ruling required RT to broadcast corrections detailing Ofcom’s findings. The channel has breached the watchdog’s code at least 10 times in the past in nine years. | The ruling required RT to broadcast corrections detailing Ofcom’s findings. The channel has breached the watchdog’s code at least 10 times in the past in nine years. |
| The Kremlin’s mouthpiece enjoyed a 40% increase in its global budget to just over 15bn roubles (£183m) for this year. | The Kremlin’s mouthpiece enjoyed a 40% increase in its global budget to just over 15bn roubles (£183m) for this year. |
| The Republican senator Robin Wicker of Mississippi called for Lesin to be investigated last year on suspicion of money laundering and corruption, the US network ABC reported. | The Republican senator Robin Wicker of Mississippi called for Lesin to be investigated last year on suspicion of money laundering and corruption, the US network ABC reported. |
| He allegedly amassed millions of dollars in assets in Europe and the US while working for the Russian government, including $28m in Los Angeles real estate. | He allegedly amassed millions of dollars in assets in Europe and the US while working for the Russian government, including $28m in Los Angeles real estate. |
| “That a Russian public servant could have amassed the considerable funds required to acquire and maintain these assets in Europe and the United States raises serious questions,” Wicker wrote, according to ABC. | “That a Russian public servant could have amassed the considerable funds required to acquire and maintain these assets in Europe and the United States raises serious questions,” Wicker wrote, according to ABC. |
| It is unclear if the FBI began an investigation. | It is unclear if the FBI began an investigation. |