You're reading: Feuding Russian tycoons face London court ruling

LONDON — A judge is due to rule on a multibillion-dollar legal battle waged between two Russian tycoons in a London courtroom.

Judge
Elizabeth Gloster is expected to deliver a summary ruling Friday, Aug.31, to
settle the feud between 45-year-old Roman Abramovich, the billionaire
Chelsea Football Club owner, and the 66-year-old self-exiled tycoon
Boris Berezovsky.

Berezovsky, a former Kremlin power broker,
alleges that Abramovich, who he called his protege, betrayed and
intimidated him into selling his stakes in the Russian oil company Sibneft vastly beneath their value.

Berezovsky
alleged blackmail and breach of contract, and is seeking more than 3
billion pounds ($4.8 billion) in damages. Abramovich denies the
allegations.

Gloster has reserved judgment since the trial, the
most high-profile commercial case at London’s High Court in recent
years, ended in January.