Deripaska Escort Apologizes in Court

News  |  Jan 22, 2019

Anastasia Vashukevich, the Belarusian escort who claimed to have evidence tying Oleg Deripaska to U.S. election interference, appeared in court Saturday and apologized to the oligarch, promising not to mention her allegations ever again. 

Associated Press

... Vashukevich made the statement in a Moscow court that was considering whether to keep her in jail as she faces charges of inducement to prostitution. The court extended her detention for three more days.

Vashukevich's statement appears to head off any chance of her speaking to U.S. investigators looking into possible collusion between Russia and President Donald Trump's campaign.

(...)

She told journalists in the Moscow court that she has apologized to Deripaska and says "I will no longer compromise him."

Deripaska is among the Russian tycoons and officials who have been sanctioned in recent years by the United States in connection with Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. His business empire includes aluminum, energy and construction assets.

He also once was a client of Paul Manafort, the former campaign manager for Trump. Manafort was convicted last year in the United States of tax and bank fraud.

Russian officials arrested Vashukevich in the Moscow airport as she was attempting to travel from Thailand to Belarus last Thursday. 

Model in Russian court apologizes for US election claim (AP)