Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin vowed to combat corruption within the government, but the case of his former boss, Pavel Borodin, indicates that some government figures are still untouchable. Swiss authorities massed more than 100,000 documents and mountains of evidence concerning Mercata, a "Swiss-based, Russian-run company" that received millions in Kremlin construction contracts, but are having difficulty proving the banker's knowingly intended to launder money. Russia's prosecutor general, Mr. Skuratov, who should have investigated the case, was blackmailed with a video showing him in bed with two women. He resigned. Few think Borodin has much to fear with Putin in power.
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