Success in $150m fraud claim against the Russian ‘Banana King’

Judgment was handed down by Bryan J in favour of the Bank of Moscow in its claim for deceit under Articles 1064 and 1080 of Russian Civil Code against Mr Vladimir Kekhman, the ‘Banana King’, high-profile patron of the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St Petersburg, and former majority owner of the Russian JFC Group companies to which the bank lent over $150m in 2011. Being a liability in fraud, it was not discharged by the high-profile English bankruptcy of Mr Kekhman (a conspicuous example of bankruptcy tourism—bankruptcy was declared during a short visit to England in 2012). This followed a five week Commercial Court trial in October/November 2017.

Adam Kramer acted for the Bank of Moscow, led by Alan Gourgey QC, and instructed by PCB Litigation.

The text of the judgment can be found here.