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January 4, 2010
Nets owner hosting pal Putin
NY Post, Page Six
Soon-to-be New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is hosting Russian leader Vladimir Putin at his $30 million French Alps chalet as a thank you for officially clearing his name.
The billionaire Russian invited Putin to stay at his chalet in Courchevel after the Russian prime minister secured an apology from French authorities for dragging Prokhorov's name into a prostitution scandal.
Now Prokhorov -- Russia's richest man -- and Putin have returned to celebrate in the same resort where the false claims were made, and to ski on mountains that will be closed to the public amid tight security.
A source told Page Six: "Putin arrived on Saturday with an entourage of 100 people. He is staying at Prokhorov's chalet, which is surrounded by a ring of tight security.
"Prokhorov invited him as a thank you for officially clearing his name. It is intended to be a very secret and private visit."
Our source continued: "Putin is also a very keen skier, and entire runs and lifts will be closed for him. He and Prokhorov are so close that Putin is rumored to be lining him up for a political role. At the very least, we expect to be seeing Putin on the sidelines at a Nets game."
NoLandGrab: That's right, folks, the Empire State Development Corporation will be using eminent domain to seize private property in Prospect Heights for the benefit of Russia's richest man, a close pal of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. We still might take Putin over Prokhorov's pal Bruce Ratner, however.
Just wondering, though, if, when we're "seeing Putin on the sidelines at a Nets game," Brooklyn "will be closed to the public amid tight security?"
Posted by eric at January 4, 2010 11:50 PM