Fugitive Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriyev...

In July 2007, Gutseriyev resigned as RussNeft president and withdrew from all his business projects, citing pressure from the Russian government. He was for a time on a police wanted list after he failed to appear for questioning on tax charges.

Kommersant reported that Gutseriyev has been reelected to RussNeft"s board of directors, and several top managers associated with the company"s current owner, aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, were expected to leave the oil firm as it was braced for key personnel changes.

Gutseriyev sold RussNeft to Deripaska in a deal estimated at $2.8-3 billion in 2007. Earlier this month, however, Russneft shareholder En+ announced that the transaction had not been finalized and was now canceled, Kommersant said.

Government officials earlier said the transaction was very complex as RussNeft was controlled by a hundred offshore companies, prompting regulators to reconsider it.

Business daily Vedomosti reported in late December

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