Antonov still lending money to Spyker

Sunday 21 February 2010

Russian investor Vladimir Antonov is still lending money to Dutch luxury car maker Spyker and has committed a loan of $100m - of which $25m has already been transferred, news agency Reuters reports.

Antonov was kept out of Spyker's deal to buy Swedish car firm Saab because of concerns over his suitability as a shareholder in the new group.

Antonov told Reuters he is providing Spyker owner Victor Muller's company Tenaci with the loans as part of 'a broader scheme' by Spyker to buy Saab and said he hoped to remain a shareholder in the Spyker-Saab group.

Last week, Muller told a Swedish newspaper he would welcome Antonov back.

The Dutch shareholders association VEB has called on Muller to come clean on who is financing the company's takeover of Saab.

The Russian also told Reuters on Friday he has ordered former CIA agents to clear his name and would send the results to Saab's former owner General Motors.

'They are doing a report which will be ready in two to three weeks. The agency is investigating whether the business of (myself) and family has any criminal links and will issue assessments backed by documents in response to all accusations against us,' he told Reuters.

© DutchNews.nl

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