Freeland (2000:326): "Putin's battle with the oligarchs began as soon as he took over from Yeltsin in 2000. One of his first acts was to summon the oligarchs for a meeting and to announce a new deal: the oligarchs could keep the vast resources they had acquired during the Yeltsin era, but they would no longer be allowed to play a role in politics. Gusinskiy and Berezovskiy couldn't comply with the deal and were forced to flee. Khodorkovskiy sought he play a larger role in politics and was punished.
Freeland (2000:327): Platon Lebedev, a major Yukos shareholder, arrested 2 July 2003. Vasiliy Shakhnovskiy, another major shareholder, arrested and charged with tax evasion. Leonid Nevzlin, the second largest shareholder, fled for Israel; prosecutors later issued an arrest warrant, charging him with embezzlement, tax evasion and subsequently, murder. Police repeatedly raided Yukos’ offices.