7th Russian oligarch to die this year allegedly poisoned with toad venom
Global News
Since the start of 2022, six Russian oligarchs have died in alleged suicides, raising concerns about whether the deaths have been staged.
Another Russian oligarch has died under strange circumstances, bringing the tally for this year up to seven incidents.
Alexander Subbotin was a former top manager of Lukoil, a major energy corporation in Russia, and died from an alleged toad poisoning on Sunday.
State-run news outlet TASS reported that Subbotin’s body was discovered in the home of a shaman in Mytishchi and that the billionaire likely died of a heart attack.
A criminal investigation has been opened to look into the incident and authorities will test Subbotin’s blood to look for traces of drugs in his system.
A number of outlets, including The Moscow Times, The Independent, Newsweek and Business Insider reported that Subbotin may have received an anti-hangover treatment that involves toad venom, administered by Alexei Pindyurin, a shaman who goes by the name Magua.
The Telegram channel Mash claims that the shaman “made an incision on the skin, dripped toad poison there — and after vomiting the patient allegedly got better.”
Mash also claimed that Subbotin knew Pindyurin and his wife well and regularly received treatments from them.