Oil tycoon suing Abramovich calls him ‘genius’

RUSSIAN oligarch Boris Berezovsky yesterday told the High Court that tycoon Rupert Murdoch was a “great businessman” and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich a “genius”.

Berezovsky, 65, is suing Abramovich, 44, for billions of pounds after a fall-out over a Russian business deal and was giving evidence in the fifth day of a trial at the Commercial Court in London.

He said the Russian billionaire businessman “intimidated” him into selling shares in Russian oil company Sibneft at a fraction of their value.

Mr Berezovsky alleges breach of trust and breach of contract and is claiming more than £3 billion (nearly €3.5bn) in damages.

Abramovich denies the allegations and denies that Berezovsky is entitled to damages.

Berezovsky yesterday explained how he had established a radio company with Murdoch and told judge Mrs Justice Gloster: “Rupert Murdoch is for me a great businessman.

“(Mr Abramovich) is genius, at least in one way.

“If he wants to convince somebody personally he may serve them so well. And you trust him so much that you really believe he is sincere. He is genius.

“He really convinced me for a long time he is like my son... He is genius like that, no doubt.”

Lawyers think Berezovsky will give evidence throughout next week.

The trial is expected to last for more than two months. The hearing ended for the day and continues on Monday.