KLEBNIKOV, PAUL

(1963–2004)

Journalist. Paul Klebnikov (sometimes spelled Khlebnikov), was an American journalist of Russian descent. He was educated at the University of California, Berkeley, and the London School of Economics; he wrote his doctoral thesis on Russian pre-Sovieteconomicreforms. In 1989, he joinedForbesand gained a considerable reputation by investigating controversial financial dealings in post-Soviet Russia. He investigated Russiancorruptionand made many influential enemies. He rose to the position ofForbes’senior editor and became the first editor of Forbes’ Russian edition when it was launched in 2004. He authored a number of publications, including a biography ofBoris Berezovskyand a series of interviews with aChechenguerilla commander. In 2004, Klebnikov was assassinated inMoscow, and although he survived the initial attack, he died in the hospital. His murder was linked to his professional activities and was one in a series of political assassinations of Russian journalists, includingAnna Politkovskaya. Russian officials rejected U.S. help in investigating the case, which has been brought to trial but has not been resolved yet. Russian investigation has focused on Klebnikov’s links withChechnya. Since his death, his widow, Musa Klebnikov, has established the Paul Klebnikov Fund to support the growth ofcivil societyin the Russian Federation.