LONDON (Bywire News) – The news of the death of Vyacheslav Taran, a Russian billionaire and co-founder of the trading and investing platform Libertex, has sent shockwaves across the world. He was 53 years old and had been living in Monaco for a decade.
The helicopter Taran was travelling in mysteriously crashed on November 25, killing him and a veteran pilot. Libertex, the company Taran co-founded, released a statement expressing their grief and condolences to the Taran family.
Taran is the latest in a growing list of powerful people in Vladimir Putin’s Russia to suddenly die. His death follows the unexpected deaths of two other cryptocurrency traders in recent weeks: Tiantian Kullander, 30, and Nikolai Mushegian, 29.
Kullander was the co-founder of a digital asset company in Hong Kong. He died in his sleep on November 23, according to his company. Mushegian drowned on a beach in Puerto Rico, only hours after tweeting that he believed the CIA and Mossad were going to murder him.
The details of the helicopter crash that killed Taran, who was flying with an experienced pilot, have raised questions. The single-engine Eurocopter EC130 operated by Monacair collided with a hillside near Eze village at around 2pm on a day with clear blue skies, Monaco Life reported.
Local authorities as well as Airbus, which manufactured the helicopter, have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Taran was married to Olga Taran, the publisher of the well-known magazine Hello Monaco, and had three children. He and his wife had founded the charity Change One Life, which supports orphaned children.
Taran was described as ‘kind-hearted, polite and humble’ by everyone who knew him, according to his company. His family, in a statement to Metro.co.uk, denied any connections to Russian intelligence and said that ‘these are completely unfounded fabrications and outright lies’.
The family said that Taran was ‘a loyal and supportive friend, husband and father’ and asked that his memory not be dishonored by false information or baseless speculation. They urged people to wait until the investigation is completed before jumping to conclusions or speculating about crazy conspiracy theories.
The deaths of Taran and two other cryptocurrency traders in recent weeks have cast a dark shadow over the crypto industry. Taran’s death is a tragic loss, and his family, friends and colleagues will be mourning his passing for a long time to come.
Shock and Mystery Surrounds Death of Russian Billionaire Vyacheslav Taran in Helicopter Crash
(Writing by Natalia Siler, editing by Michael O’Sullivan)
