Russian Judge Extends Tycoon's Sentence New York Agrees to Settle a Case with a Financier
FROM THE PAGES OF FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2010 from the pages of Midnight in New York © 2009 The New York Times Russian Judge Extends Tycoon’s Sentence New York Agrees MOSCOW — A judge on symbol of Medvedev’s inability to politicians are rarely, if ever, held Thursday sentenced Mikhail B. make significant progress on his accountable for misdeeds. to Settle a Case Khodorkovsky, the Russian ty- pledges. Yet, with most of the news coon who was imprisoned in 2003 “I expected a guilty verdict, but media cowed by official pres- after defying Vladimir V. Putin, I didn’t expect such a tough sen- sure, and opposition groups sup- With a Financier to an additional six years. It was tence,” said Leonid Y. Gozman, pressed, people are skeptical a politically tinged decision that co-chairman of Right Cause, a about the possibility of attaining The financier Steven L. Rattner undermined President Dmitri liberal party with close ties to redress. Medvedev has conceded has agreed to pay $10 million to set- A. Medvedev, who has vowed to the Kremlin. “This is shocking. that the country is plagued by tle civil charges that he engaged in revitalize the country’s deeply It was obviously a political, not a “legal nihilism,” but Putin has a kickback scheme involving New troubled legal system. judicial, decision. A verdict this seemed less bothered. York state’s pension fund, ending Khodorkovsky’s supporters harsh is going to resonate and In fact, the new sentence for a scathingly personal and public had asked Medvedev to inter- be perceived very negatively for Khodorkovsky was considered monthlong feud between Rattner vene in the case, which has rein- Medvedev, and for what he has an unambiguous signal that Pu- and the New York attorney general, forced widespread concerns that been trying to accomplish.” tin, now prime minister, remains Andrew M.
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