OPPOSITION OLIGARCH PATARKATSISHVILI DEAD OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000249 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG SUBJECT: OPPOSITION OLIGARCH PATARKATSISHVILI DEAD OF APPARENT HEART ATTACK REF: A. 07 TBILISI 3161 ¶B. 07 TBILISI 2415 Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On February 13 news broke in Georgia that Georgian oligarch and opposition figure Arkadi "Badri" Patarkatsishvili died in London. He was 52 years of age. Patarkatsishvili's Tbilisi-based lawyer, Shalva Khachapuridze, confirmed the news. The reported cause of death is a heart attack, although this remains unconfirmed. British Embassy Poloff confirmed to us that Patarkatsishvili had died and that UK police are investigating. End summary. ¶2. (U) On February 13 post heard reliable reports from a source close to the Patarkatsishvili family that Badri Patarkatsishvili had died in London of a heart attack. Soon after, Georgian media reports announced that Georgian oligarch and opposition figure, Badri Patarkatsishvili died in London. Patarkatsishvili was born in 1955, making him 52 years of age. Patarkatsishvili's Tbilisi-based lawyer, Shalva Khachapuridze, confirmed the news. The apparent cause of death was a heart attack, although this remains unconfirmed. Family members have thus far refrained from speaking publicly. However, Patarkatsishvili's political party members, including Nona Gaprindashvili, said they were unaware of Patarkatsishvili suffering from any health problems. ¶3. (U) The Georgian Public Broadcaster (Channel One TV) reported Patarkatsishvili's death and included some brief biographical information. Private TV company Mze also announced the death. Both reports were factual and respectful. ¶4. (C) British Embassy Political Officer David Gale told Poloff on February 13 that the British Government has confirmed Patarkatsishvili's death. Gale said the British Government considers Patarkatsishvili's death "a matter for the UK Surrey Police." Gale said apparently the death happened last night (February 12) after dinner at Patarkatsishvili's mansion in Surrey, England. There were many Georgians present at the dinner. Gale confirmed that the UK police are investigating the death. ¶5. (U) Patarkatsishvili recently founded a political party and ran for President in the January 5 election. In that contest he garnered over seven percent of the popular vote, and finished third. Patarkatsishvili was considered to be Georgia's wealthiest man, with a fortune largely earned working with Boris Berezovsky in Russia during the Yeltsin years. In October of 2007, he became increasingly active politically and critical of the Saakashvili administration. He attended the public protests on November 2, 2007, and founded his political party shortly thereafter. Patarkatsishvili owned Imedi TV, which was seen as the only real alternative to the government's domination of other TV channels; although Imedi was also seen as quite biased against the government. Imedi was forcibly shut down by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MOIA) on November 7, and reopened in mid-December. ¶6. (U) Patarkatsishvili was indicted and wanted by the Georgian Prosecutor General for conspiring to overthrow the government. The January 10 charge stemmed from an interview between Patarkatsishvili and MOIA Special Operations Department Head Irakli Kodua. Patarkatsishvili had met Kodua in London in December, and Kodua claimed Patarkatsishvili offered Kodua USD 100 million to help him "overthrow the government." (ref A) Patarkatsishvili had also been wanted in Russia on criminal charges for several years. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Opposition parties and government officials have not yet had time to comment on the death, but it is certain to spur many conspiracy theories in a country already rife with them. Speculation could point in any number of directions, but the Georgian and Russian governments are certain to be suspected of complicity in the death. There is a long history of such accusations. Exiled (and wanted) former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili specifically claimed in his September 25, 2007 address on TV that President Saakashvili had "ordered him to liquidate" certain people, including Patarkatsishvili (ref B). Since going into exile, Okruashvili has suggested that Saakashvili would "be responsible" if anything happened to Okruashvili. During the recent presidential campaign, some Georgian officials TBILISI 00000249 002 OF 002 expressed concern that the Russians might liquidate an opposition figure to throw suspicion on the Georgian government. Post is aware of at least two such alleged plots reportedly directed by Russia over the last several years. Consequently, all eyes will be on the results of a UK autopsy, and what the cause of death is determined to be. Gale, the British Embassy Poloff, advised that he will keep us informed on any developments he receives. TEFFT