Book link to Klebnikov murder

Thu Jul 15, 8:12 PM ET

by Tom Birchenough

MOSCOW -- It has emerged that Paul Klebnikov (right), -- the American-born editor of "Forbes" Russian edition who was murdered on July 9 [2004] -- was working on a book about the murder of Vladislav Listyev in 1995, who was then DG of national channel ORT (Public Russian Television).

Klebnikov died on his way to hospital from injuries after he was shot from a passing car after leaving the Forbes office in the Russian capital.

Initial investigation of Klebnikov's murder, centred on the publication of a Russia's "100 Richest People" list in the magazine's May issue, but Russian book publisher Valery Streletsky was quoted in local press Friday saying that Klebnikov had begun research on a new book about the Listyev killing. Listyev, a popular television show presenter, was killed shortly after assuming the top job at the newly-privatized national channel almost a decade ago.

Among suspects in that murder was the Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, left, who now lives in exile in London. Klebnikov later wrote a book, published both in English and in Russian (by Streletsky's company), about Berezovsky titled "Godfather of the Kremlin."

However, Berezovsky went on to challenge and win a UK court action over assumptions behind a 1996 profile of the oligarch in Forbes magazine written by Klebnikov.

The final memorial service in Russia for Klebnikov took place Weds. The burial service is expected to take place in New York.

 

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