A prominent Russian tech tycoon was discovered lifeless in his Moscow office on July 22, according to reports.
Anton Cherepennikov, aged 40, the influential founder of IT company ICS Holding, was instrumental in aiding President Vladimir Putin’s push to bolster domestic surveillance operations within Russia. The cause of his untimely demise is currently attributed to cardiac arrest as per statements from ICS Holding. Yet, unnamed Moscow law enforcement sources suggest that a fatal overdose of “medical gas” may be responsible. This points towards the possibility that Cherepennikov may have unwittingly surpassed his medication’s prescribed limits. Sources also mentioned three people that visited Cherepennikov’s office the night before his death. The matter is presently under investigation.
Cherepennikov had come under the scrutiny of U.S. authorities, leading to sanctions due to allegations surrounding Citadel, an ICS Holding branch, accused of developing software that illicitly harvested financial and personal data from computer systems. The late magnate’s company played an essential role in bringing to fruition Russia’s controversial Yarovaya laws under the pretext of counter-terrorism, significantly increasing surveillance and data collection within Russia.
ICS Holding, reputed for its close ties with Russian security services, reported a consolidated revenue of 91 billion rubles (around $1 billion) in 2022.
Cherepennikov’s death adds to the list of enigmatic fatalities involving Russian oligarchs and businessmen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.
