Pool/Reuters
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian catering magnate with ties to President Vladimir Putin who was charged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for alleged interference in the 2016 election, reportedly paid over $200,000 after his company gave 130 children food poisoning. According to The Moscow Times, parents filed a class-action lawsuit against Concord catering firm after kindergarteners in southeastern Moscow suffered from food poisoning late last year. Concord has denied ties to Prigozhin, but also confirmed the magnate paid 17.8 million rubles—or $275,000—to 145 parents who filed complaints after the food poisoning incident. Companies linked to Prigozhin have reportedly signed over 5,000 state contracts worth $3.2 billion since 2011. Prigozhin and three of his companies, including Concord, was also reportedly indicted by Mueller over alleged “criminal and espionage conspiracy.” The 58-year-old is known as “Putin’s chef” due to his history of catering banquets for the Russian president.