Russian political figure, media executive and an adviser to President Vladimir Putin. In 2006, he was awarded the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland,” one of Russia's highest state decoration for civilians.
Lesin died in a Washington, D.C. hotel room under unknown and mysterious circumstances. His family initially said the cause of death was a heart attack but, in March 2016, the presiding coroner and police officials released a joint statement that Lesin succumbed to "blunt force trauma" to the head, and the manner of death was undetermined. The case is still under investigation.
Under Putin from April 6, 2004, until Nov. 18, 2009, Lesin became adviser to the president of the Russian Federation for mass media relations. During his tenure and beginning in 2005, Lesin helped conceive and create the RT (Russia Today) television news network, he said, "to establish a news channel that would counter CNN and BBC with a Moscow spin. It's been a long time since I was scared by the word propaganda. We need to promote Russia internationally. Otherwise, we'd just look like roaring bears on the prowl."
In 2011, he moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he helped his son Anton in the Hollywood movie business. In 2013, he returned to Russia and from Oct. 1, 2013, until Jan. 12, 2015, he was head of Gazprom-Media, a state-controlled media giant that describes itself as one of the largest media groups in Russia and Europe. In April 2014, he became chairman of the Russian Association of Film and Television Producers. He resigned from Gazprom-Media in December 2014, citing family reasons. After retiring, he spent several months in Switzerland for treatments to a spinal injury that he received while skiing, and then returned to his home in California.
Lesin led the Kremlin's efforts to censor Russia's independent television outlets, according to accusations by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). In 2014. Wicker called on the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into Lesin and his immediate family over allegations of corruption and money laundering. In a July 29, 2014, letter to then-Attorney General Eric Holder, Wicker wrote that Lesin and his immediate family had "acquired multi-million dollar assets" in Europe and the United States "during his tenure as a civil servant," including multiple residences in Los Angeles worth $28 million. On Dec. 3, 2014, Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik replied to Wicker's letter by stating the Justice Department's Criminal Division and the FBI have been referred for appropriate disposition of Lesin and "similarly situated Russian individuals and companies with assets in the United States that may be in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Statutes."
Lesin was found dead before noon on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, in The Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, D.C. A law enforcement official said there were no obvious signs of forced entry or foul play in his hotel room and that on the video surveillance, Lesin appeared disheveled when he returned to his room. On Nov. 7, 2015, the Kremlin released official condolences from Putin: "The president appreciates the enormous contribution made by Mikhail Lesin to the formation of modern Russian media."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Lesin
Lesin died in a Washington, D.C. hotel room under unknown and mysterious circumstances. His family initially said the cause of death was a heart attack but, in March 2016, the presiding coroner and police officials released a joint statement that Lesin succumbed to "blunt force trauma" to the head, and the manner of death was undetermined. The case is still under investigation.
Under Putin from April 6, 2004, until Nov. 18, 2009, Lesin became adviser to the president of the Russian Federation for mass media relations. During his tenure and beginning in 2005, Lesin helped conceive and create the RT (Russia Today) television news network, he said, "to establish a news channel that would counter CNN and BBC with a Moscow spin. It's been a long time since I was scared by the word propaganda. We need to promote Russia internationally. Otherwise, we'd just look like roaring bears on the prowl."
In 2011, he moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he helped his son Anton in the Hollywood movie business. In 2013, he returned to Russia and from Oct. 1, 2013, until Jan. 12, 2015, he was head of Gazprom-Media, a state-controlled media giant that describes itself as one of the largest media groups in Russia and Europe. In April 2014, he became chairman of the Russian Association of Film and Television Producers. He resigned from Gazprom-Media in December 2014, citing family reasons. After retiring, he spent several months in Switzerland for treatments to a spinal injury that he received while skiing, and then returned to his home in California.
Lesin led the Kremlin's efforts to censor Russia's independent television outlets, according to accusations by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). In 2014. Wicker called on the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into Lesin and his immediate family over allegations of corruption and money laundering. In a July 29, 2014, letter to then-Attorney General Eric Holder, Wicker wrote that Lesin and his immediate family had "acquired multi-million dollar assets" in Europe and the United States "during his tenure as a civil servant," including multiple residences in Los Angeles worth $28 million. On Dec. 3, 2014, Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik replied to Wicker's letter by stating the Justice Department's Criminal Division and the FBI have been referred for appropriate disposition of Lesin and "similarly situated Russian individuals and companies with assets in the United States that may be in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Statutes."
Lesin was found dead before noon on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, in The Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, D.C. A law enforcement official said there were no obvious signs of forced entry or foul play in his hotel room and that on the video surveillance, Lesin appeared disheveled when he returned to his room. On Nov. 7, 2015, the Kremlin released official condolences from Putin: "The president appreciates the enormous contribution made by Mikhail Lesin to the formation of modern Russian media."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Lesin
Russian political figure, media executive and an adviser to President Vladimir Putin. In 2006, he was awarded the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland,” one of Russia's highest state decoration for civilians.
Lesin died in a Washington, D.C. hotel room under unknown and mysterious circumstances. His family initially said the cause of death was a heart attack but, in March 2016, the presiding coroner and police officials released a joint statement that Lesin succumbed to "blunt force trauma" to the head, and the manner of death was undetermined. The case is still under investigation.
Under Putin from April 6, 2004, until Nov. 18, 2009, Lesin became adviser to the president of the Russian Federation for mass media relations. During his tenure and beginning in 2005, Lesin helped conceive and create the RT (Russia Today) television news network, he said, "to establish a news channel that would counter CNN and BBC with a Moscow spin. It's been a long time since I was scared by the word propaganda. We need to promote Russia internationally. Otherwise, we'd just look like roaring bears on the prowl."
In 2011, he moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he helped his son Anton in the Hollywood movie business. In 2013, he returned to Russia and from Oct. 1, 2013, until Jan. 12, 2015, he was head of Gazprom-Media, a state-controlled media giant that describes itself as one of the largest media groups in Russia and Europe. In April 2014, he became chairman of the Russian Association of Film and Television Producers. He resigned from Gazprom-Media in December 2014, citing family reasons. After retiring, he spent several months in Switzerland for treatments to a spinal injury that he received while skiing, and then returned to his home in California.
Lesin led the Kremlin's efforts to censor Russia's independent television outlets, according to accusations by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). In 2014. Wicker called on the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into Lesin and his immediate family over allegations of corruption and money laundering. In a July 29, 2014, letter to then-Attorney General Eric Holder, Wicker wrote that Lesin and his immediate family had "acquired multi-million dollar assets" in Europe and the United States "during his tenure as a civil servant," including multiple residences in Los Angeles worth $28 million. On Dec. 3, 2014, Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik replied to Wicker's letter by stating the Justice Department's Criminal Division and the FBI have been referred for appropriate disposition of Lesin and "similarly situated Russian individuals and companies with assets in the United States that may be in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Statutes."
Lesin was found dead before noon on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, in The Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, D.C. A law enforcement official said there were no obvious signs of forced entry or foul play in his hotel room and that on the video surveillance, Lesin appeared disheveled when he returned to his room. On Nov. 7, 2015, the Kremlin released official condolences from Putin: "The president appreciates the enormous contribution made by Mikhail Lesin to the formation of modern Russian media."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Lesin
Lesin died in a Washington, D.C. hotel room under unknown and mysterious circumstances. His family initially said the cause of death was a heart attack but, in March 2016, the presiding coroner and police officials released a joint statement that Lesin succumbed to "blunt force trauma" to the head, and the manner of death was undetermined. The case is still under investigation.
Under Putin from April 6, 2004, until Nov. 18, 2009, Lesin became adviser to the president of the Russian Federation for mass media relations. During his tenure and beginning in 2005, Lesin helped conceive and create the RT (Russia Today) television news network, he said, "to establish a news channel that would counter CNN and BBC with a Moscow spin. It's been a long time since I was scared by the word propaganda. We need to promote Russia internationally. Otherwise, we'd just look like roaring bears on the prowl."
In 2011, he moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he helped his son Anton in the Hollywood movie business. In 2013, he returned to Russia and from Oct. 1, 2013, until Jan. 12, 2015, he was head of Gazprom-Media, a state-controlled media giant that describes itself as one of the largest media groups in Russia and Europe. In April 2014, he became chairman of the Russian Association of Film and Television Producers. He resigned from Gazprom-Media in December 2014, citing family reasons. After retiring, he spent several months in Switzerland for treatments to a spinal injury that he received while skiing, and then returned to his home in California.
Lesin led the Kremlin's efforts to censor Russia's independent television outlets, according to accusations by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). In 2014. Wicker called on the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into Lesin and his immediate family over allegations of corruption and money laundering. In a July 29, 2014, letter to then-Attorney General Eric Holder, Wicker wrote that Lesin and his immediate family had "acquired multi-million dollar assets" in Europe and the United States "during his tenure as a civil servant," including multiple residences in Los Angeles worth $28 million. On Dec. 3, 2014, Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik replied to Wicker's letter by stating the Justice Department's Criminal Division and the FBI have been referred for appropriate disposition of Lesin and "similarly situated Russian individuals and companies with assets in the United States that may be in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Statutes."
Lesin was found dead before noon on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, in The Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, D.C. A law enforcement official said there were no obvious signs of forced entry or foul play in his hotel room and that on the video surveillance, Lesin appeared disheveled when he returned to his room. On Nov. 7, 2015, the Kremlin released official condolences from Putin: "The president appreciates the enormous contribution made by Mikhail Lesin to the formation of modern Russian media."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Lesin
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