April 10 2016
The Russian cellist linked by the Panama Papers to a money trail of billions has spoken out for the first time since the story broke.
In a story published by the Guardian last Sunday, the musician Sergei Roldugin was identified as an old friend of Vladimir Putin linked by documents from the leak to a number of offshore companies with cash flows of up to $2bn (£1.4bn).
A week later, in a 20-minute segment aired on Russian state television, Roldugin dismissed the idea that he was fabulously wealthy or was safeguarding money and assets for Putin.
Without directly answering the allegations that he personally controls a series of assets worth at least $100m, Roldugin insisted his “wealth” was merely a series of donations from rich businessmen in order to purchase expensive musical instruments for young Russians.