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Roman Abramovich wins court battle against Berezovsky | Roman Abramovich wins court battle against Berezovsky |
(35 minutes later) | |
Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has won his legal battle against exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky. | |
Mr Berezovsky, 65, said Mr Abramovich, 45, had intimidated him into selling shares in Russian oil giant Sibneft. He was claiming £3bn ($4.7bn) in damages. | |
But the London Commercial Court judge said Mr Berozovsky had been an "inherently unreliable" witness. | |
Mr Berezovsky said he was "shocked" at Mrs Justice Gloster's decision and that she had rewritten Russian history. | |
The BBC estimates the total legal costs in the case are up to £100m. | |
In her ruling the judge said: "On my analysis of the entirety of the evidence, I found Mr Berezovsky an unimpressive, and inherently unreliable, witness, who regarded truth as a transitory, flexible concept, which could be moulded to suit his current purposes." | |
She said she dismissed Mr Berezovsky's claims in relation to Sibneft - and a claim Mr Abramovich had broken a promise over a deal involving Russian aluminium company RusAl - "in their entirety". | She said she dismissed Mr Berezovsky's claims in relation to Sibneft - and a claim Mr Abramovich had broken a promise over a deal involving Russian aluminium company RusAl - "in their entirety". |
Afterwards Mr Berezovsky said he did not know whether he was going to appeal but said: "I am absolutely amazed by what's happened today... particularly because Lady Gloster rewrote Russian history." | |
He said he did not regret bringing the case against Mr Abramovich and added: "I was absolutely shocked... but life is life." | |
'Political godfather' | 'Political godfather' |
BBC correspondent Bridget Kendall, who was in court, said: "Mr Berezovsky listened to all this impassively. At times fist under his chin clenched slightly. Once he took a sip if water and turned to speak to lawyer at his side." | BBC correspondent Bridget Kendall, who was in court, said: "Mr Berezovsky listened to all this impassively. At times fist under his chin clenched slightly. Once he took a sip if water and turned to speak to lawyer at his side." |
The judge said she found Mr Abramovich "to be a truthful, and on the whole reliable, witness". | |
Mr Abramovich was not in court for the ruling and is thought to be in Monte Carlo for Chelsea's Super Cup Final on Friday night. | |
When he gave evidence, Mr Abramovich had said Mr Berezovsky was paid millions of pounds for his services as a "political godfather" but was not a business partner. | When he gave evidence, Mr Abramovich had said Mr Berezovsky was paid millions of pounds for his services as a "political godfather" but was not a business partner. |
The court heard Mr Berezovsky "fled Russia, never to return" in 2000, after falling out with then president Vladimir Putin. | The court heard Mr Berezovsky "fled Russia, never to return" in 2000, after falling out with then president Vladimir Putin. |
Both men have homes in London, with Mr Abramovich owning a property in Knightsbridge as well as a 400-acre estate in Fyning, West Sussex. | Both men have homes in London, with Mr Abramovich owning a property in Knightsbridge as well as a 400-acre estate in Fyning, West Sussex. |
On his arrival in court on Friday Mr Berezovsky, who now faces a huge legal bill, told reporters: "I believe in the system." | On his arrival in court on Friday Mr Berezovsky, who now faces a huge legal bill, told reporters: "I believe in the system." |
During the three-month trial, which is thought to have cost millions of pounds in legal costs, the court heard details of the lifestyles of Russia's super-rich oligarchs. | During the three-month trial, which is thought to have cost millions of pounds in legal costs, the court heard details of the lifestyles of Russia's super-rich oligarchs. |
Mr Berezovsky claimed Mr Abramovich was a "gangster" while Mr Abramovich responded by saying there were times when Mr Berezovsky was "something of a megalomaniac". | Mr Berezovsky claimed Mr Abramovich was a "gangster" while Mr Abramovich responded by saying there were times when Mr Berezovsky was "something of a megalomaniac". |
The hearing was told Mr Abramovich bought a businessman a plane to say thank you after one deal. | The hearing was told Mr Abramovich bought a businessman a plane to say thank you after one deal. |
Mr Berezovsky told the court he was born in Moscow, studied mechanics and mathematics and worked as a designer for Russian state car maker AvtoVAZ in the 1970s, before going into business in the 1980s. | Mr Berezovsky told the court he was born in Moscow, studied mechanics and mathematics and worked as a designer for Russian state car maker AvtoVAZ in the 1970s, before going into business in the 1980s. |
Dr Evil claim | Dr Evil claim |
In the 1990s, following the collapse of communism, Mr Berezovsky embarked on a political career and Mr Abramovich's lawyers claimed he was a "power broker" and a "highly controversial figure". | In the 1990s, following the collapse of communism, Mr Berezovsky embarked on a political career and Mr Abramovich's lawyers claimed he was a "power broker" and a "highly controversial figure". |
The hearing was told Mr Berezovsky's expenses - including "palaces in France", "private aircraft", "valuable paintings" and "jewellery for his girlfriend" - were paid for by Mr Abramovich. | The hearing was told Mr Berezovsky's expenses - including "palaces in France", "private aircraft", "valuable paintings" and "jewellery for his girlfriend" - were paid for by Mr Abramovich. |
The two oligarchs first met in 1994, when Mr Abramovich was a 28-year-old oil trader who dreamed of creating a "vertically-integrated" oil company. | The two oligarchs first met in 1994, when Mr Abramovich was a 28-year-old oil trader who dreamed of creating a "vertically-integrated" oil company. |
Mr Abramovich's lawyers said Mr Berezovsky saw the idea as "offering the opportunity for great wealth". | Mr Abramovich's lawyers said Mr Berezovsky saw the idea as "offering the opportunity for great wealth". |
The BBC's Moscow correspondent Daniel Sandford said there had been a lot of interest in the case in Russia as it shed light on the controversial sale of Russia's mineral wealth by the state to a small group of oligarchs in the early 1990s. | The BBC's Moscow correspondent Daniel Sandford said there had been a lot of interest in the case in Russia as it shed light on the controversial sale of Russia's mineral wealth by the state to a small group of oligarchs in the early 1990s. |
Mr Abramovich told the court he left school at 16 and served in the Red Army before beginning his business career by selling plastic toys. | Mr Abramovich told the court he left school at 16 and served in the Red Army before beginning his business career by selling plastic toys. |
He said he had "never aspired to be a public figure" and, in a written statement, listed the acquisition of Chelsea in 2003 under "political and charitable" activities. | He said he had "never aspired to be a public figure" and, in a written statement, listed the acquisition of Chelsea in 2003 under "political and charitable" activities. |
But Mrs Justice Gloster said of Mr Berezovsky: "At times the evidence which he gave was deliberately dishonest; sometimes he was clearly making his evidence up as he went along in response to the perceived difficulty in answering the questions in a manner consistent with his case; at other times, I gained the impression that he was not necessarily being deliberately dishonest, but had deluded himself into believing his own version of events." | But Mrs Justice Gloster said of Mr Berezovsky: "At times the evidence which he gave was deliberately dishonest; sometimes he was clearly making his evidence up as he went along in response to the perceived difficulty in answering the questions in a manner consistent with his case; at other times, I gained the impression that he was not necessarily being deliberately dishonest, but had deluded himself into believing his own version of events." |