Russian Billionaire Deripaska Ready to Deny Manafort Contacts Rumors in Congress

Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska said Tuesday he is ready to participate in hearings in the US Congress in connection with allegations about the purposes of his contacts with US President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — He also called the AP assertion that he had signed a $10 million annual contract with Manafort "to greatly benefit the Putin Government" a lie.

Last Wednesday, Associated Press claimed it had obtained business records that proved Manafort had signed an annual $10-million contract with Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska in 2006. The outlet cited people familiar with the matter, as well as a strategy plan allegedly authored by Manafort, which implicated him in representing the Russian government's political interests abroad, particularly in the post-Soviet states.

"I want to resolutely deny this malicious assertion and lie. I have never made any commitments or contracts with the obligation or purpose to covertly promote or advance 'Putin's Government' interests anywhere in the world," Deripaska said in a statement published in The Wall Street Journal as a paid advertisement.

"I am ready to take part in any hearings conducted in the US Congress on this subject in order to defend my reputation and name," he said.

Deripaska also warned media and individuals of legal responsibility for spreading disinformation about him.

"The further distribution of false allegations about my alleged activities as it is put by AP by any person or media will consequently bring the cost and burden of ultimate legal responsibility on all parties taking part in this disinformation campaign… I demand that any and all further dissemination of these allegations, by the AP or any other media outlet, must cease immediately," the statement said.

Deripaska's official spokesperson confirmed to Sputnik earlier in March that Manafort provided the billionaire with consultations in the sphere of investments which were limited by Deripaska's business interests.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Paul Manafort's program to promote Russia's interests in post-Soviet countries has no connection to Russian authorities and had never been brought to the attention of the Kremlin.

Manafort reportedly confirmed having worked for Deripaska in various countries nearly a decade ago, but stressed that his work was limited to representing Deripaska’s business interests in places where he had investments.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that Manafort did not encourage or pressure Trump's team to side with Russia on any issues or matters, adding that the former campaign manager's contacts with Russian companies took place a "decade ago" while representing a number of foreign clients, including those in Asia, the Caribbean, and Europe.