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Ex-Putin aide found dead in DC was killed by blunt-force trauma

The former Vladimir Putin aide found dead in a Washington, DC, hotel room last November was killed by blunt-force trauma to the body, it was revealed Thursday.

The body of Mikhail Lesin, who once served as a Kremlin mouthpiece, showed signs of trauma to the arms, legs, neck and torso in the Doyle Dupont Circle ­Hotel.

A New York Times report said the trauma came from a fight that occurred before Lesin returned to his hotel room.

At the time of his death, Russian media cited relatives who claimed Lesin died of a heart attack.

Thursday’s announcement from the DC Medical Examiner’s Office ­appeared to dispute that assertion.

The manner of death ­remained undetermined, the ME’s Office said.

Police have refused to rule Lesin’s death a criminal act but said an investigation will continue.





The medical examiner did not explain why the announcement came nearly four months after Lesin’s death.

The former media adviser to Putin who helped found the English-language news service Russia Today had immigrated to the United States, where he reportedly purchased $30 million of luxury real estate in California.

Citing Russian media, the Times said Lesin had a falling out with Yuri V. Kovalchuk, a major shareholder of Russian state-owned Gazprom Media. Kovalchuk is considered a close business ally and friend of Putin.

Lesin had been under scrutiny by the FBI and the Justice Department for potential money laundering.





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