Mabetex boss admits providing Yeltsin family with credit cards

Bexhet Pacolli, the Swiss businessman at the centre of a Kremlin corruption scandal, has admitted providing the family of former President Yeltsin with credit cards. Pacolli is pictured here meeting Yeltsin in 1996.

Bexhet Pacolli, the Swiss businessman at the centre of a Kremlin corruption scandal, has admitted providing the family of former President Yeltsin with credit cards. Pacolli is pictured here meeting Yeltsin in 1996.

But, according to the New York Times, Pacolli, boss of the construction firm, Mabetex, denied he had paid their bills.

“I only provided them with technical help,” the Ticino-based entrepreneur was quoted as saying.

Pacolli admitted asking the Swiss Banco del Gottardo to procure five credit cards for the Yeltsin family. The cards were for Yeltsin’s wife, Naina, his daughters, Elena and Tatyana, and their husbands.

The Mabetex boss said he had taken the cards to Moscow, where he deposited them at the International Industrial Bank, where the Yeltsin family has accounts. He said he gave no guarantees about paying the bills.

Pacolli said the cards were only used for two months.

He has until now denied knowing whom the cards were intended for.

Mabetex has been accused of paying massive kickbacks to Russian officials in return for winning lucrative contracts to renovate the Kremlin.