Joel Leyden : Swiss Court: Michael Cherney Was Never In Russian Mafia

Swiss Court: Michael Cherney Was Never In Russian Mafia

Michael Cherney, a hard working, successful businessman,
philanthropist and Zionist, was a victim of libel and slander.

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ---- May 18, 2010 …. A Swiss court has ruled that Israel businessman and respected philanthropist Michael Cherney (Mikhail Chernoy) is to be financially compensated for unfounded suspicions of links to the “Russian Mafia”.

According to a ruling by a court in Switzerland, Israel businessman Michael Cherney will be financially compensated in the amount of 30,000 Swiss francs for moral damages to him and his family caused by an investigation which dragged from 1996 through 2007. The probe was related to Cherney’s suspected links to the “Russian Mafia” and started in November 1996 when Michael Cherney was detained for four days upon his entry to Geneva. This was followed by a decade-long investigation, which resulted in Swiss High Federal Court’s verdict in 2008 exonerating Cherney from all the charges.

After the Swiss court’s 2008 ruling that Cherney was not linked to organized crime, he decided to sue for moral damages.

According to the Canton of Geneva law, this compensation could not exceed the amount of 10,000 francs. Exceptions are made in cases where courts discern “special circumstances”.

According to the court’s latest verdict, this was the case with Michael Cherney, especially since the investigation had unduly dragged out for eleven years. As a result, Cherney was awarded a compensation of 30,000 Swiss francs which is three times the standard amount.

Last January a Tel Aviv, Israel court found that an illegal campaign to discredit Michael Cherney had been managed at the order of Russia citizen Alexei Drobashenko, formerly the public relations director for Basic Element, a financial and industrial group belonging to Oleg Deripaska. Cherney and Deripaska are former partners in aluminum business.

Currently Cherney’s multi-million dollar suit against Deripaska is now being considered by a London court.

Following his repatriation to Israel, Michael Cherney has maintained business interests in Russia and post-Soviet states, while developing new business contacts between Russia, Europe, Israel, and the US.

In Israel, Michael Cherney spends much effort on charity and humanitarian projects that reinforce cooperation between Israel and Russia in fighting Islamic terrorism.

Michael Cherney established a Website for his Foundation on June 1, 2001, the night of the terrorist bombing outside the Dolphinarium Disco in Tel Aviv. When Michael Cherney learned that the number of victims were 21 dead and over 150 wounded, he realized that rendering assistance required a systematic organized effort.

Prior to 2001, Cherney was engaged in charity work in Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, Bulgaria, the US - wherever he did business. He made valuable contributions into Jewish philanthropy in Russia. Following the Dolphinarium terrorist tragedy, the Cherney Fund became the helping hand for all its victims. In a misfortune like this, emigres from the former Soviet countries are even worse off than those born in Israel: they don't have a support system or savings.

The Cherney Fund renders help mostly to the new arrivals, victims of catastrophes and terrorist acts that continue to bleed Israel, as well as to the low-income victims of terror in other countries. Another equally important task assumed by the Cherney Foundation is the media effort in war on terror. Shortly after the Dolphinarium attack, the Foundation published a book called Dolphinarium: Terror Targets the Young.

The Michael Cherney Foundation has established grants for students from the former Soviet Union in all major Israel universities with an annual endowment of 1 million shekels.

Mr. Cherney and his family live in a suburb of Tel Aviv.

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