The exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has been found dead at his home in Surrey.
The circumstances of the death of the 67-year-old - a wanted man in Russia, and an opponent of President Vladimir Putin - are not yet known.
A former Kremlin power-broker whose fortunes declined under Mr Putin, Mr Berezovsky emigrated to the UK in 2000.
Last year, he lost a £3bn ($4.7bn) damages claim against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.
Mr Berezovsky claimed he had been intimidated by Mr Abramovich into selling shares in Russian oil giant Sibneft for a "fraction of their true worth".
The allegations were completely rejected by the London Commercial Court judge, who called Mr Berozovsky an "inherently unreliable" witness.
The circumstances of the death of the 67-year-old - a wanted man in Russia, and an opponent of President Vladimir Putin - are not yet known.
A former Kremlin power-broker whose fortunes declined under Mr Putin, Mr Berezovsky emigrated to the UK in 2000.
Last year, he lost a £3bn ($4.7bn) damages claim against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.
Mr Berezovsky claimed he had been intimidated by Mr Abramovich into selling shares in Russian oil giant Sibneft for a "fraction of their true worth".
The allegations were completely rejected by the London Commercial Court judge, who called Mr Berozovsky an "inherently unreliable" witness.
Diminished wealth
Mr Berezovsky had made his fortune in the 1990s selling imported Mercedes as well as Russian-made cars.
Later owning Sibnet and as primary shareholder in Russia's main television channel, he supported Boris Yeltsin's rise to power.
Mr Berezovsky survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur.
During the later years of Yeltsin's presidency, Mr Berezovsky was part of the leader's inner circle as deputy secretary of Russia's security council.
He then played a role in Mr Putin's rise in the late-1990s, before the new president moved to curb the political ambitions of Russia's oligarchs.
Mr Berezovsky left Russia for self-imposed exile in the UK at the end of 2000.
In recent years, his wealth is thought to have considerably diminished and costly court cases have left him struggling to pay debts.
It also cited a Russian lawyer for Berezovsky, Alexander Dobrovinsky, as saying he had died.
Police would not immediately comment.
The exiled businessman, who was on outspoken critic of the Moscow regime, lost a multibillion-pound high court battle with Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich last year.
He had survived several assassination attempts, including a bomb that killed his driver.
Mr Berezovsky had made his fortune in the 1990s selling imported Mercedes as well as Russian-made cars.
Later owning Sibnet and as primary shareholder in Russia's main television channel, he supported Boris Yeltsin's rise to power.
Mr Berezovsky survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur.
During the later years of Yeltsin's presidency, Mr Berezovsky was part of the leader's inner circle as deputy secretary of Russia's security council.
He then played a role in Mr Putin's rise in the late-1990s, before the new president moved to curb the political ambitions of Russia's oligarchs.
Mr Berezovsky left Russia for self-imposed exile in the UK at the end of 2000.
In recent years, his wealth is thought to have considerably diminished and costly court cases have left him struggling to pay debts.
It also cited a Russian lawyer for Berezovsky, Alexander Dobrovinsky, as saying he had died.
Police would not immediately comment.
The exiled businessman, who was on outspoken critic of the Moscow regime, lost a multibillion-pound high court battle with Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich last year.
He had survived several assassination attempts, including a bomb that killed his driver.
Source : BBC
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