French Authorities Sentence to 20-Year Term Murderer of Russian Businessman

A jury in Paris handed a 20-year jail term to a Chechen man convicted of murdering a Russian businessman during his trip to France, a lawyer for the victim’s family told Sputnik.

Businessman Mikhail Lanin and his life partner Elena Pravoslavnova came to Paris in 2011 to buy property in the French Riviera. They were met at the airport by Rouslan Bersanov, who was to accompany them, and his driver Yazid Arsaliev, both from Russia's Chechnya region.

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The pair were driven to a Paris suburb where they were ambushed. The man died of a bullet wound in the head, while his partner was injured and survived.

"Bersanov got 20 years in prison for murder, attempted murder and criminal conspiracy," attorney Irina Sidorova said.

Arsaliev was acquitted and might be compensated for seven years in custody, while a third suspect, Bardoudin Kaimov, was given a six-month suspended sentence for hiding stolen goods.

The lawyer said that the victim’s son was shocked by jurors’ leniency. She said the prosecutor will decide next week whether to appeal. The challenge can be filed within ten days.