NYT: Oleg Deripaska was ready to testify about Russian interference in US elections in exchange for immunity; he was refused

Entrepreneur Oleg Deripaska offered to cooperate with a US Congressional committee investigating possible Russian interference in the US presidential election, Congressional sources told the New York Times . However, the Russian oligarch's terms were unacceptable.

Deripaska's offer to cooperate came after his business ties to Donald Trump's campaign manager Paul Manafort came into the spotlight in the US media and in the media, the NYT reports. Deripaska, who the publication calls "an aluminum magnate who is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle," was willing to cooperate with the commission in exchange for "full immunity," three congressional sources confirmed to the NYT . The businessman's offer was rejected due to concerns that granting him immunity would complicate the investigation.

The publication notes that Deripaska, who was repeatedly denied a visa by US authorities, suspecting him of having ties to organized crime, entered the country eight times from 2011 to 2014 “as a Russian diplomat.” This follows from written testimony given by the oligarch in connection with a “low-profile” lawsuit that was being considered by a Manhattan court, writes NYT .

The oligarch's difficulties in obtaining an American visa have been known since the early 2000s. "According to the WSJ , in order to obtain an American visa, Deripaska paid the law firm of former Republican senator and 1996 US presidential candidate Robert Dole a total of $560,000 - $300,000 in advance and $260,000 after the issue was successfully resolved. <...> Initially, it was reported that the American visa was issued to Oleg Deripaska so that employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from the organized crime unit could meet with him. But Deripaska resolutely denied having any contacts with organized crime," Vedomosti wrote in 2007.

Deripaska previously sued the Associated Press for reporting that he paid Manafort $10 million annually from 2006 to 2009 to advance Vladimir Putin's interests in former Soviet republics.

Manafort confirmed that he worked for Deripaska; the lobbyist emphasized that he acted legally. Deripaska's representative insisted that Manafort "provided investment consulting services under contracts that related exclusively to Deripaska's business interests."

He also recalled that the former partners are now in court: as AP wrote , the Russian businessman gave the American $19 million to invest in the Ukrainian Black Sea Cable project, but he refused to report on the use of the funds.