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Georgia tycoon death 'suspicious' | Georgia tycoon death 'suspicious' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
British police have said they are treating as "suspicious" the death of Georgian tycoon and opposition politician Badri Patarkatsishvili. | British police have said they are treating as "suspicious" the death of Georgian tycoon and opposition politician Badri Patarkatsishvili. |
Mr Patarkatsishvili, 52, died in Leatherhead, near London, on Tuesday. His aides said he had a heart attack. | Mr Patarkatsishvili, 52, died in Leatherhead, near London, on Tuesday. His aides said he had a heart attack. |
Mr Patarkatsishvili financed his own campaign in January's presidential poll won by incumbent Mikhail Saakashvili. | Mr Patarkatsishvili financed his own campaign in January's presidential poll won by incumbent Mikhail Saakashvili. |
He was later charged with plotting a coup in connection with anti-government protests last year. | He was later charged with plotting a coup in connection with anti-government protests last year. |
He lived in self-imposed exile in Britain and Israel. | He lived in self-imposed exile in Britain and Israel. |
Post mortem examination | Post mortem examination |
"Police were called to an address in Leatherhead in Surrey late yesterday evening (around 2300 GMT) following the collapse and death of a Georgian businessman, Badri Patarkatsishvili who is believed to have been 52," British police said in a statement. | "Police were called to an address in Leatherhead in Surrey late yesterday evening (around 2300 GMT) following the collapse and death of a Georgian businessman, Badri Patarkatsishvili who is believed to have been 52," British police said in a statement. |
"As with all unexpected deaths it is being treated as suspicious. A post mortem will be held later today to establish the cause of death," it said. | "As with all unexpected deaths it is being treated as suspicious. A post mortem will be held later today to establish the cause of death," it said. |
Mr Patarkatsishvili's former business associate, exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, also said he died at about 2300 GMT on Tuesday. | Mr Patarkatsishvili's former business associate, exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, also said he died at about 2300 GMT on Tuesday. |
Mr Berezovsky said he had seen him that day. He was not ill but complained about his heart, he said. | Mr Berezovsky said he had seen him that day. He was not ill but complained about his heart, he said. |
'Assassination plot' | 'Assassination plot' |
A supporter of the so-called Rose Revolution which brought Mr Saakashvili to power in 2004, Mr Patarkatsishvili later turned against the government and began financing opposition parties. | A supporter of the so-called Rose Revolution which brought Mr Saakashvili to power in 2004, Mr Patarkatsishvili later turned against the government and began financing opposition parties. |
The authorities accused him of offering a $100m (£50m) bribe to a senior police official to help him overthrow the government and seize the Georgian interior minister. | The authorities accused him of offering a $100m (£50m) bribe to a senior police official to help him overthrow the government and seize the Georgian interior minister. |
He denied the charge, saying that he himself was being targeted in an assassination plot. | He denied the charge, saying that he himself was being targeted in an assassination plot. |
But the opposition tried to distance itself from his election campaign, and he came third with just 7% of the vote behind their official candidate Levan Gachechiladze. | But the opposition tried to distance itself from his election campaign, and he came third with just 7% of the vote behind their official candidate Levan Gachechiladze. |