The heartbroken wife of a Russian crypto billionaire has slammed claims that his death in a helicopter crash was 'mysterious'.
Vyacheslav Taran, 53, died on Friday (25 November) in an apparent accident near Monaco, and Ukrainian media subsequently claimed that he had links to Russian foreign intelligence.
Slamming claims that this resulted in a 'mysterious' death, Olga said the speculation was 'an absolute and utter lie' - although an investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
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"We are devastated," she said, as reported by the MailOnline. "We have lost our loving husband and a father of three children.
"It is painful to realise that I will never see my dear husband again and my children their daddy."
People began to speculate about the circumstances of the crash because it took place on a clear day with good weather - and after another unidentified passenger suddenly cancelled their scheduled trip on the doomed helicopter.
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The pilot, a 35-year-old Frenchman, also lost his life in the crash.
Ukrainian news agency UNIAN reported that Vyacheslav was a 'billionaire crypto businessman with likely ties to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service'.
However, this claim was made without evidence.
The deputy public prosecutor of Nice, who was seen at the scene of the crash, said they cannot yet rule out the involvement of a third party.
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Olga has insisted that such claims pertaining to Russia are impossible.
She added: "All of this is outrageous and manifests an absolute and utter lie."
"My husband never had any connections to the Russian government or any political affiliations. He left Russia to pursue and focus on his business interests back in 2008."
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The widow also made a point of stating that her husband supported the Ukrainian people and 'helped whenever he could'.
She said that he supported the charity Change One Life, which has been reconnecting displaced children with their parents since Russia's initial invasion of Crimea back in 2014.
Olga said: "As he often told me, it was one of the most important things he did in his life."
As well as his work with this charity, Vyacheslav announced in February that he was working with Pristaniste.me to help Ukrainian refugees who had fled the conflict to Montenegro.
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Olga added of her husband's rumoured links to Russian foreign intelligence: "This attack is unfair to Vyacheslav who always actively supported Ukrainian people through his charity foundations, especially children who lost their parents.
"Everyone who knows Viacheslav, including the entire Monaco community knows it to be an absolute lie.
"I urge you, please, do not tarnish Slava's good name. He was a good person."
Topics: News, Russia, Cryptocurrency
Emma Guinness