Former Hearts owner blew £308m
THE former Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov squandered an eye-watering £308m before going into exile in Russia, according to new figures issued by Lithuanian authorities.
The controversial businessman and banker took control of the Tynecastle club in early 2005 and was largely held responsible for Hearts entering administration in 2013.
But it was the collapse of his bank, Ukio Bankas, that sparked Lithuanian prosecutors to try to bring him to trial.
Bankruptcy administrators in the Baltic nation have finally concluded a long-running investigation as to where the money went when the bank was run by Romanov.
They have reached the verdict that an astonishing sum of £308,404,676.04p remains unaccounted for and has been plundered by the former owner of the Edinburgh club.
Romanov initially claimed he had suffered a stroke three years ago and was receiving treatment in a Moscow hospital.
But after pictures emerged of him frolicking on a beach in Russia, the Lithuanian government made a formal request to extradite him.
The case went to court two years ago, but the Russian judicial system refused to extradite him and he was allowed to go free.
Little has been heard since then of the one-time publicity-hungry sports fan, who also owned football and basketball clubs in his homeland.