Putin's Former 'Banker' Sought By Police

Interpol has called for the arrest of a former Russian billionaire and Kremlin insider-turned Putin critic who is accused of stealing state money.

The organisation has placed Sergei Pugachyov, once known as Putin's banker, on its "red notice" list, on the grounds he is "wanted by the judicial authorities of Russia for prosecution".

The Kremlin claims the former oligarch used Russian money to support his now-defunct Mezhprombank during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

The 51-year-old, who was once worth an estimated $12bn (£7.6bn), fled Russia after he was declared bankrupt.

His whereabouts remain unknown.

As a member of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, Mr Pugachyov is believed to have orchestrated the infamous arrest and jailing of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky a decade ago.

He is understood to have known Mr Putin since the early 1990s, long before he became president in 2000.

Since his fall from grace, he has become a vocal critic of the Kremlin.

In October he told the Financial Times that "today in Russia there is no private property. There are only serfs who belong to Putin".

"Big business cannot live as before. It has to live under military rules," he said.

Mr Pugachyov's lawyer has branded Russia's extradition request "illegal," saying the former billionaire and had no intention of turning himself in.

"He is not going to surrender to Interpol," Alexander Gofshtein told news agency AFP.

"We will fight this decision," he said.

The Interpol "red notice" dictates that if Mr Pugachyov is found in certain European countries they must either detain him, pending a domestic court case, or book him and release him on bail.

Britain has repeatedly refused to extradite Russian oligarchs wanted by the Kremlin over concerns the charges were politically motivated.

It is home to dozens of Russian business barons and their families.