MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s leading opposition activist Alexei Navalny published material Tuesday allegedly showing that a prominent lawmaker and son of nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky owns an undeclared $2.5 million apartment abroad with seven toilets and a balcony Jacuzzi.
Igor Lebedev, deputy speaker of the State Duma, bought the property in Dubai in 2009 but failed to include it on his official parliamentary declaration form, Navalny wrote on his blog, citing real estate documents.
“Lebedev is lying in his declarations, hiding income far greater than what he officially receives and owns undeclared property abroad,” Navalny said.
Lebedev denied the accusations Tuesday, according to Russian media reports.
“I’m not commenting on this moron,” Lebedev said Tuesday when approached by a reporter in the Olympic host city of Sochi, Lenta.ru website reported.
In an ostensible anti-corruption measure, Russia last year banned officials from having foreign bank accounts or holding stocks or bonds abroad. Officials are allowed to own property abroad, but are obliged to declare it and explain the sources of the income that was used to buy it.
Navalny said that the information about Lebedev’s alleged foreign property emerged after a Dubai-based real estate company accidentally made records available online.
Lebedev is the son of LDPR leader Zhirinovsky, known for his colorful, provocative and sometimes clownish pronouncements. Lebedev is a member of his father’s party.
