CEO of Russia’s TNK-BP Questioned in Tax Case
The American chief executive of Russian oil producer TNK-BP was called in for questioning as part of a criminal investigation into possible large-scale tax evasion, according to the company.
The pressure on Robert Dudley comes as the company’s Russian shareholders battle British oil major BP PLC for control of the joint venture, Russia’s third-largest oil producer.
TNK-BP said the questioning was routine and not related to the shareholder dispute.
TNK-BP’s Russian shareholders — billionaires Mikhail Fridman, Viktor Vekselberg and Len Blavatnik — last week demanded Dudley’s ouster. They say he ignored the interests of Russian shareholders and runs the venture as if it were a BP subsidiary.
Dudley, who refuses to step down, says there are serious disagreements among shareholders over long-term investment plans.
