Putin fear drove cash cover-up

A former Russian minister hid his business interests in a Moscow textile factory at the heart of a 100-million-dollar legal dispute because he feared reprisals from President Putin. Vladimir Chernukhin, 49, served in the Russian government as deputy finance minster while Mikhail Kasyanov was Prime Minster. But during a political cleansing by President Vladimir Putin in 2004, Mr Kasyanov and Chernukhin were dismissed from office. Mr Chernukhin feared his business interests could be harmed by his old connections and sought…