Supported Brexit billionaire was suspected of working for Russian intelligence
The billionaire founder of research centre the Legatum Institute Christopher Chandler (Keith Chandler) can be associated with Russian intelligence. This was stated by the Deputy of the British Parliament, the representative of the Conservative party Bob Seeley, reports The Times.
According to Seeley, he handed over documents to the police Monaco, the French counterintelligence, which contained information on the activities and relationships of Chandler. “These documents are dated 2005 and cover the period since the mid 1990-ies. They relate to Christopher Chandler and his brother,” — said the Deputy.
In particular, it is noted that French intelligence services were interested in the activities of the billionaire in 2002 because he suspected him of working for Russian intelligence.
The MP stressed that the information contained in these documents, data already confirmed by sources in the French intelligence, as well as their British and American colleagues.
Thus, as reports “Russian service Bi-bi-si”, the Legatum Institute has denied the charges, saying that Chandler “has never been direct or indirect links with the Russian intelligence service or the Russian government” and in organizations know nothing about allegedly conducted by the French authorities ‘ investigations.
In 1990-e years, Chandler bought and sold shares of Russian companies. In particular, according to Deutsche Welle, we are talking about shares of company “Gazprom”: in the early 2000s, founded by Chandler and his brother Sovereign Asset Management was the third largest shareholder in Gazprom, with about five percent of the shares.
The Legatum Institute has supported a British exit from the European Union. In particular, specialists of the organization participated in the preparation of proposals for the most stringent scenario Brexit and met with Ministers.
A referendum on British exit from the European Union took place on 23 June 2016. The majority of voters decided to support the idea of withdrawal from the EU.