BELGRADE, August 21 (RAPSI) – The seizure of the late oligarch Boris Berezovsky's alleged assets in Serbian companies has been lifted, a Belgrade court said Wednesday.
The Court of Appeal found that Berezovsky's ownership of the assets was not proved.
According to a statement released by prosecutors on Tuesday, Serbian authorities had seized assets belonging to Berezovsky at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office. The assets seized included 79 percent of dairy company Imlek, 100 percent of beverage maker Knjaz Milos and 65 percent of confectionary Bambi Banat, as well as stakes in several other firms, Serbian media reported Tuesday.
The body of the 67-year-old businessman was found by his bodyguard in the bathroom of his UK house in Ascot, Berkshire, on March 23. The results of a post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be consistent with hanging.
The British media reported that the former oligarch was on the verge of bankruptcy after losing several litigations against former business partners. In 2012, he lost a case in London against fellow Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich and agreed to pay litigation costs of £35 million ($55 million).
Before his demise Berezovsky was sued by his former girlfriend Yelena Gorbunova and Russian air carrier Aeroflot. Gorbunova filed a £5 million claim, while the Aeroflot stake remains unknown.
In his will, drafted nine days prior to his death, Berezovsky listed five potential executors, none of whom have yet agreed to take responsibility for the estate, including two attorneys old friend Yuly Dubov, daughter Yekaterina Berezovskaya, and Yelena Gorbunova. International accounting firm Grant Thornton has been court-appointed to deal with the estate until an executor is appointed.
