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French newspaper issues apology to Ukrainian businessman Akhmetov for false report
Jan. 29, 2010, 2:30 p.m. | Ukraine — by Interfax-Ukraine
Le Figaro acknowledged that "it has no evidence to support" the claims made about Akhmetov in the article.
The French daily newspaper Le Figaro onJan. 29issued a retraction of a previously published false report regarding Rinat Akhmetov, a Ukrainian businessman and political leader, and apologized to him for publishing untrue information, according to a statement released by the Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP law firm.
The retraction related to an article that was first published in the newspaper's print and electronic editions on Jan. 18, 2010.
In a formal statement that appeared in the Jan. 28 edition, Le Figaro acknowledged that "it has no evidence to support" the claims made about Akhmetov in the article.
Le Figaro further stated that the newspaper "regrets that these claims were made" and formally apologized to Akhmetov for any harm that he had suffered.
Akhmetov's U.S. lawyer, Mark J. MacDougall, stated that "the editors and publisher of Le Figaro have acted responsibly in issuing a swift apology and correcting the false statements published about Mr. Akhmetov."
"Mr. Akhmetov values his reputation throughout Europe, and today's action by Le Figaro recognizes that Mr. Akhmetov's good name was put at risk when false accusations were published," he added.
Le Figaro earlier published an article describing Akhmetov as "a scandalous Ukrainian oligarch." The article also alleged that Akhmetov, "a bandit in the past, and currently an MP, invests much funds in the development of [Donetsk] region," was a major sponsor for presidential candidate and Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych.
In a formal statement that appeared in the Jan. 28 edition, Le Figaro acknowledged that "it has no evidence to support" the claims made about Akhmetov in the article.
Le Figaro further stated that the newspaper "regrets that these claims were made" and formally apologized to Akhmetov for any harm that he had suffered.
Akhmetov's U.S. lawyer, Mark J. MacDougall, stated that "the editors and publisher of Le Figaro have acted responsibly in issuing a swift apology and correcting the false statements published about Mr. Akhmetov."
"Mr. Akhmetov values his reputation throughout Europe, and today's action by Le Figaro recognizes that Mr. Akhmetov's good name was put at risk when false accusations were published," he added.
Le Figaro earlier published an article describing Akhmetov as "a scandalous Ukrainian oligarch." The article also alleged that Akhmetov, "a bandit in the past, and currently an MP, invests much funds in the development of [Donetsk] region," was a major sponsor for presidential candidate and Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych.
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Of course he is a bandit and a thief. how else do you become an oligarch in donetsk
Akhmetov could not care less what is said of him in Ukraine as he considers Ukraine to be stashed in his back pocket. In the West, it is different. The Americans for example, have no problem jailing corrupt corporate heads and their executives and seizing their assets.
but it's funny on Figaro site: the article is still there with at the end a paragraph mandatory for avoiding to be sued in court telling that they apologize and that everything is wrong in the article. For any French reader it means that the article says only true things! and if Akhmetov has sued the newspaper it means that there is something true in this article ...
Akhmetov won a small battle here, but he could lose the war, if he brings himself onto the radar of the U.S. investigative press by suing too many Western newspapers.
If the investigative press and bloggers get interested in Akhmetov, they will likely uncover anything he has to hide, and they will use it to bring his reputation down. If it gets to that stage, Akhmetov's 15 billion dollars and American lawyers won't be able to help him. Akhmetov can be thankful that at least for now, most Americans don't know who he is.