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Day: 23 October 2024

Swiss Federal Prosecutor clears Dmitry Rybolovlev in criminal case

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/10/2024

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has officially dismissed the criminal case against Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev and his lawyer, Tetiana Bersheda, which was part of a long-running legal dispute with Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier.

The case, initiated in 2017, was dismissed due to a lack of admissible evidence following a key ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in June 2024, as well as the withdrawal of Bouvier’s complaint.

Rybolovlev, who owns AS Monaco football club, had accused Bouvier of swindling him out of €1.1 billion from the sale of 38 artworks, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, between 2003 and 2014. Rybolovlev claimed that Bouvier, acting as his agent, had inflated prices and pocketed exorbitant margins. Bouvier, however, maintained that he had acted as an independent dealer and was free to set his own profit margins. Their decade-long legal battle, which spanned multiple jurisdictions from Monaco to Hong Kong, finally came to an end in December 2023 when the pair reached an out-of-court settlement covering all their disputes.

Despite this settlement, other complaints persisted, including one filed by a close associate of Bouvier, who accused Bersheda of transmitting a recorded conversation to investigators without his knowledge. As part of this investigation, Bersheda handed over her mobile phone to prove the recording had not been tampered with. However, thousands of deleted messages were recovered from her phone by order of a Monaco-based investigating judge, Edouard Levrault, which prosecutors alleged showed Rybolovlev using his connections in Monaco to frame Bouvier.

Rybolovlev and Bersheda’s defense contested these accusations at every judicial level, eventually taking the matter to the ECHR. In June 2024, the ECHR ruled that the recovery of the mobile data was a violation of attorney-client privilege and constituted an unlawful search. This decision rendered the phone data inadmissible in court, leading the OAG to conclude that there was no longer any credible evidence to support Bouvier’s accusations. “Following the withdrawal of the criminal complaint and the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, the evidence on which the criminal complaint was based cannot be used in the present procedure,” the OAG concluded in its order, sent to Monaco Life by Rybolovlev’s lawyers, 

Rybolovlev’s legal team welcomed the move, saying in a statement provided to Monaco Life,”We are pleased with this decision, through which the Swiss judiciary has definitively closed the case and confirmed our client’s innocence, which he has steadfastly maintained.” They added that the dismissal was consistent with the ECHR ruling, which determined that the evidence obtained from Bersheda’s phone could not be used against Rybolovlev.

This dismissal brings closure to yet another chapter in the legal saga between Rybolovlev and Bouvier. While the core dispute over the art sales was settled in late 2023, this recent decision from the Swiss courts effectively closes the remaining criminal proceedings.

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

Photo source: AFP

 

Cycling: Riders of all ages invited to take part in Beking 2024

by: Stephanie Horsman
23/10/2024
beking

Beking Monaco, a cycling event created in 2021 by a group of Monaco-based professional athletes, is returning to Port Hercule at the end of November for a day of races, talks, and family fun. The event will culminate in a charity auction, the proceeds of which will go towards supporting educational and sporting projects.

Beking will be back for its fourth consecutive year on 24th November. Centred around Port Hercule, the one-day festival will unite professional athletes and cycling enthusiasts of all ages for a series of competitive challenges and fun races designed to celebrate the sport’s power to inspire, while highlighting the sustainable benefits of this green mode of transport.

First and foremost, Beking is a family-friendly event, and the 2024 edition will feature a Kids’ Area complete with activities focusing on the theme of soft mobility, as well as road safety. Young cyclists will also be given the chance to ride the same circuit as the pros, using either their own bikes or one provided by the event’s main sponsor, Specialized.

The event will include two further races: one where riders of all levels come together in mixed teams, battling to cross the finish line first, and a second starring international athletes competing in high-octane heats for good causes.

“We’ve managed to reach the fourth edition, and we’re happy to see how this event has won the hearts of so many riders who have embraced the cause and show their support every year,” says Claudia Morandini, a co-founder of the event. “It goes without saying that without them, and the support of the companies that make it all possible, this would have remained just a nice idea hidden in plain sight. It’s certainly a small event, but every year we become the voice of an important message for society, the planet, and the future of the next generations. Although it’s a real commitment to add to everyone’s already busy schedules, it has become essential, and we hope it can grow year-on-year to become an unmissable event for children, families, and sports enthusiasts.”

Beking will wrap up with a charity auction that will raise funds “to support educational and sporting projects.”

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

 

Photo credit: Beking Monaco

Football: Five-star Monaco sweep Red Star aside in Champions League

by: Luke Entwistle
23/10/2024
Monaco players celebrate Breel Embolo's goal against Red Star Belgrade.

AS Monaco swept Red Star Belgrade aside in the Champions League (5-1) to continue their incredible unbeaten start to the season.

The emphatic scoreline alludes to a walk in the park for the Principality club. In truth, it is a little more nuanced. For periods of the first half, Monaco struggled, and it was only upon the return from the dressing rooms that their physical and technical superiority was made to count.

“We had a great second half. The difference [to the first half] was huge,” reacted Adi Hütter post-match. It looked set to be a routine victory for Les Monégasques, not their first this season, after Takumi Minamino scored the opener, deceitfully beating the offside trap.

The Japan international was as surprised as anyone that the goal stood. “At that moment, I thought it was offside. When I looked behind, every player had stopped but I just kept going,” said Minamino, whose finish was calm, almost nonchalant.

But Red Star Belgrade hit back. Cherif Ndiaye was a constant threat and, profiting from a Wilfried Singo mistake, he burst into the Monaco box before being bundled to the ground by Thilo Kehrer. The Red Star striker stepped up himself to put away the resulting penalty.

Singo atones with wondergoal

The game then lulled and despite the fervent backing of 1,400 Serbians inside the Stade Louis II, Red Star couldn’t push on. But nor could Monaco break down a stern defence until Breel Embolo received the ball fortuitously on the edge of the box and then finished well on the volley right on the stroke of half-time.

Monaco then stepped on the accelerator. Singo more than atoned for his earlier error, drilling home a long-range wonder goal, one of the best scored in the Principality in recent times. There could have been plenty more.

Embolo saw a goal disallowed by VAR, Vanderson missed a great chance to get on the scoresheet, Maghnes Akliouche hit the post, as did Aleksandr Golovin. The lethal Minamino did not miss his chances, gratefully tucking home a generous Embolo pass to make it four.

But as Red Star crumbled under the pressure of the barrage, there was no mercy from Monaco, who punished the Serbian side ruthlessly. The fifth did come and it was Akliouche who got it. It was the cherry on top of the cake for Les Monégasques, who now have seven points from their first three Champions League games.

Red Star manager says Monaco “dominated in every aspect”

Hütter and co. believe that 10 points will be enough to secure progression to the knockout stage, which is the objective. But could Monaco target the top eight? “We are humble. We are in a good position but we will also be facing some really good teams,” said Hütter.

Embolo was a little more bullish. “If we can qualify in the top eight then we’ll go after it but there is still a long way to go,” whilst man-of-the-match Minamino also echoed his teammate’s sentiment.

Having “dominated [Red Star] in every aspect”, in the words of the Serbian side’s manager, Vladan Milojevic, Monaco are in a position of strength. “Scoring five goals in the Champions League is incredible,” said Hütter and it shows where this Monaco side are – and where they may be heading. On their return to the Champions League, they are re-establishing themselves among the European elite and doing so in style.

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

Photo credit: AS Monaco