The banking scandal that broke Russia’s anti-Kremlin opposition
Last month, as another 30 days of war passed in Ukraine, Russian activists, economists, and politicians in the exiled anti-Kremlin opposition spent much of their time arguing about a banking scandal from the last decade. The debate has been as mystifying to outsiders as it is confusing to those without an education in finance.
With help from Ilya Shumanov, the general director of Transparency International-Russia in exile, The Naked Pravda breaks down the squabbling and criminal stakes at the heart of the scandal involving Probusinessbank, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, and activist Maxim Katz.
Timestamps for this episode:
- (5:27) The complex schemes at play in Probusinessbank
- (20:35) Where the Russian authorities and the FSB fit in
- (32:21) Political repression and legal battles
New episodes of The Naked Pravda are released at the end of every week. Catch each show by subscribing through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or one of these other platforms. If you have a question or comment about the podcast, please write to Kevin Rothrock at [email protected] with the subject line: “The Naked Pravda.”
Sound editing by Kevin Rothrock. A.I. voice-dubbing by Eleven Labs.