Another Dead Russian Oiligarch

The Wall Street Journal has a story today(subscription) by Michael Connolly , "Tycoon's Death Reveals Lukoil Insider Deals"

"Allied with President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, Russian oil company OAO Lukoil (19%-owned by ConocoPhillips of Houston) is at the forefront of Russia's push for economic might....Touched off by the sudden 1997 death of oil tycoon Vitaly Schmidt, a multimillionaire with luxury residences in four countries, the fight has involved a struggle for control of his patrimony, hidden in tax havens from the Isle of Man to Panama."

This story has swamped the referrals to Postman Patel today from many, many finance houses, banks, newspapers worldwide ,as Lord Patel is a friend and follower of Vagit Alekperov has chronicled his fortunes closely and posted two stories when C.A.T.oil AG was floated on the Deutsche Bourse in May - having failed to find a market in London. It is an intriguing tale of LUKoil, a flame haired temptress Helen Brinkmann, secretary to Vitaly Schmidt who died in 1997 suddenly at 47, after a hearty meal swilling Georgian champagne. It includes mysterious offshore accounts, Cypriot front men and women, and the puzzle of how his shares in C.A.T. oil AG ended up being owned by Miss Brinkmann and quite where LUKoil and Conoco Philips fit in and why his son thinks there has been some jiggery-pokery - нечестность. Read on ......

Wednesday, May 3 2006
C.A.T. oil IPO - Death - kidnappings- theft an everyday story of Russian Oiligarchs
Tuesday, May 2 2006
C.A.T.oil AG IPO 1st. Oilco on Deutsche Bourse

For much, much more on this fascinating company and it's fascinating way of getting oil out of frozen ground simply Google the site for "C.A.T.oil"

Promise ... no mention of Baloneyium.

Pic is of a Flame Haired Temptress on a Cyprus beach - it isn't H Brinkmann but you can find her picture at the above links. Phwwooooaaarrrrrr!!!!