The Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was named the "cook" by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was formally accused by the US of interfering in the presidential election in 2016, at the age of 20 received a 12-year prison term.

This was told by journalist Vitaly Portnikov, Radio Liberty reports.

He also noted that Prigogine is behind the "troll factory" in St. Petersburg.

"His biography is also very difficult. At the age of 20 he received a 12-year prison term for "robbery", "fraud", "involving minors in prostitution". Simply put, the Prigogine group found underage girls, persuaded them to prostitution, and then robbed their clients. A man with such qualities in the new Russia could not have been lost, "- said Portnikov.

The journalist also told that in different years the schools of the Leningrad region refused to supply food to his companies.

"There was a scandal with the mass poisoning of 150 cadets of the Ural Fire Prevention Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia. Probably Prigogine has one food for presidents, and another for cadets.

But it had no consequences for the restaurateur, "- said Portnikov.

"Nothing happened even when his guard attacked. on the FSB officer (yes-yes!) During the raid to combat the illegal use of "flashers". The guard was given a suspended sentence. Now let's just imagine that this would be a guard of some other person, "he said..

Portnikov added that "American investigators are not like their Russian counterparts" and that Prigogine's security can be guaranteed only during the existence of Putin's regime.