Russia - Ooops! The Kremlingate Scandal

This Russian S/S was issued in 1998n to celebrate 10 years of the
Menatep-Bank.
However, the S/S was hastily withdrawn on the day of issue - as the
bank had
gone into liquidation... Yikes!

Cat value according to Michel € 30 http://eriklyders.dk/apr070.jpg

Bank Menatep was a US$29 billion holding company created by Mikhail
Khodorkovsky, that had indirect controlling interest in Yukos Oil
Company, and was involved in the US$4.8 billion diversion of
International Monetary Fund (IMF) funds. The bank's financial
condition was seriously damaged during the 1998 financial crisis due
to risky investments. The Russian Central Bank revoked Menatep's
licence in May 1999. However, according to Ernest Backes, former #3 of
Clearstream, a clearing-house which has been qualified as a "bank of
banks", Menatep maintained an unpublished secret account at
Clearstream until at least 2000. The bankruptcy was finalized by
February 2001. In the time between August 1998 and May 1999 the bank's
assets were siphoned off by the owners and management defrauding the
creditors. Over 15 thousand people lost their savings.

see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Menatep

Blair