Police rule out foul play after death of Russian supergrass in £140m fraud case

Alexander Perepilichnyy, 44, was found collapsed outside his home in Granville Road, Weybridge, Surrey, on November 10 last year sparking a major police investigation over fears he had been poisoned. Mr Perepilichnyy was involved in a fraud case involving the theft of around £140m in tax revenue from the Russian government at the time of his death.

Surrey Police said the matter has now been formally passed to the coroner and an inquest will be held after finding no evidence of foul play.

This was despite two post-mortem examinations carried out in November failing to establish a cause of death.

Toxicology samples were also taken from both post mortems but the results have not been released.

Senior investigating officer detective chief inspector Ian Pollard, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: “I am satisfied that following extensive inquiries, including a post-mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist, and a full and detailed range of toxicology tests, there is no evidence to suggest that there was any third party involvement in Mr Perepilichnyy’s death.”

“I appreciate that there has been some frustration around the length of time required to complete our inquiries, however my priority as the senior investigating officer for this investigation has always been to his family and to HM coroner for Surrey. Although the results of the toxicology tests are now known, the circumstances around Mr Perepilichnyy’s death will now be the subject of an inquest.”

Mr Pollard added: “This was a tragic and sudden death which attracted intense media speculation. Mr Perepilichnyy’s family has had to endure this media attention at the same time as coping with the loss of a loved one, and our thoughts remain with them at this time.”

Mr Perepilichnyy was helping Swiss authorities over the alleged fraud when he died. He had 
lived in the UK for three years and was believed to be in good 
health.

One theory was that he could have been poisoned in a similar fashion to Alexander Litvinenko, the former KGB agent who died in London in 2006 after being contaminated with radioactive Polonium 210.