Putin's millionaire pal found dead in second mysterious death in just 48 hours

Anton Cherepennikov was the head of the country's largest IT company, ICS Holding, which was used by Russia's Federal Security Service to monitor citizens' online activities

The body of Anton Cherepennikov, 40, was found in his office in Moscow (

Image: Tatler Russia/east2west news)

A businessman with ties to the Russian security services has become the latest high profile figure among the country's elite to be found dead.

The body of Anton Cherepennikov, 40, was found in his office in Moscow, according to reports that he died of "cardiac arrest".

Cherepennikov was the head of the country's largest IT company, ICS Holding, which was used by Russia's Federal Security Service to monitor citizens' online activities, according to Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta.

His cause of death was immediately treated with suspicion by long-time friend Vasily Polonsky, who insisted, "I don't believe [he died of] cardiac arrest. The exact cause of the entrepreneur's death will be determined later."

Anton Cherepennikov, a key figure in Internet and phone tapping in Putin's Russia (

Picture:

social media/news east2west)

He is the second person from Putin's regime to have died in 48 hours, following reports that billionaire oligarch Igor Kudryakov, a former government official and wealthy businessman, was also found dead in his Moscow apartment.

An opposition source said Cherepennikov was "an absolutely essential tool in Putin's crackdown." He continued, "His assassination cannot be ruled out as the security apparatus becomes desperate due to the failure of the war."

His success as the state's electronic snoop meant a profit of £172million for his operation, it has been reported. Cherepennikov was considered close to his "idol", the Kremlin-friendly oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a former shareholder of Arsenal football club in London.

The web sleuth studied at the prestigious Bauman Moscow State Technical University and Moscow State Civil Engineering University. The news comes as Igor Girkin, an extreme nationalist...