Murder investigation launched for Russian exile found with neck crushed in England

A murder investigation was launched Friday into yet another suspicious incident involving yet another Russian exile living in Britain — the latest episode coming just over a week after a former Kremlin spy and his daughter were poisoned.

Metropolitan Police said Friday an autopsy found 68-year-old businessman Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov died from a compression to the neck.

Glushkov, who had received political asylum in Britain after being jailed in Russia for money laundering and fraud, was found dead at his home in New Malden, southwest London on Monday.

The suspicious death occurred a week after former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were poisoned by a nerve agent on March 4 in Salisbury. British authorities have blamed the attack on Moscow, with Foreign Minister Boris Johnson saying it’s likely the order to poison the pair came directly from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has denied any involvement.

British counter-terrorism police said it was investigating the death “because of the associations Mr. Glushkov is believed to have had.” They said there is “nothing to suggest any link to the attempted murders in Salisbury, nor any evidence that he was poisoned.”

British media have reported Glushkov had associated with a prominent critic of the Kremlin, late oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who died in London in 2013.

Late Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who died in London in 2013, was associated with Russian exile businessman Nikolai Glushkov, who was found dead late Monday in his London home.  (AP)

Berezovsky was found hanged at his home and an inquest failed to determine whether he had killed himself or died due to foul play. Glushokov reportedly told The Guardian at the time he would “never believe” his friend took his own life.

Glushokov is at the top of a list of “fugitives from justice” published by the Russian embassy.

He is accused of organizing a large-scale fraud scheme, embezzling $7 million from a Russian airline.

The Russian embassy has said it sought Glushkov’s extradition in 2015, but the British government refused, Sky News reported.