Russian Tycoon Questioned In Spain Over Market Manipulation Accusations

Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman (file photo)

Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman has appeared before Spain's top criminal court for questioning over accusations he artificially depressed the value of a Spanish company in order to take it over.

Fridman, who also has Ukrainian and Israeli citizenship, was questioned at a pretrial hearing as a person under investigation at the National Court in Madrid on October 21.

Spanish anti-corruption prosecutors suspect the billionaire broke the country's Criminal Code in 2016 in an attempt to take control of Zed Worldwide, a Spanish mobile content and services business that later declared insolvency.

The judge in the case in September ruled that there were indications Fridman, who has an estimated worth in excess of $15 billion, exercised control over people and entities that damaged Zed Worldwide.

Fridman, Russia's seventh-richest man, has denied the allegations.

This year Forbes listed the tycoon, who is reportedly close to the Kremlin, as London's richest resident.

Based on reporting by AFP, El Dia, and FT