Private investigator who is a descendant of poet William Wordsworth reveals he was stopped by police at Bristol City airport and quizzed for two hours over his links to Russia and Vladimir Putin
MailOnline
Monday, Jan 22, 2004
By Mark Hookham and Abul Taher
Full Article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12988753/private-investigator-police-russia-vladimir-putin-bristol-city-airport.html
Andrew Wordsworth, 61, was asked whether he knew Vladimir Putin during a two-hour interrogation
The private investigator is a descendent of the Romantic poet and was once voted as London’s most eligible bachelor
Described as a ‘preeminent figure in intelligence’ and an expert at gathering information in Russia, Mr Wordsworth co-founded private investigation firm Raedas in 2016.
His interrogation, which is believed to have been sanctioned by MI5, has sent shockwaves through Britain’s booming ‘corporate intelligence’ industry.
Andrew Wordsworth, one of Britain’s leading private investigators, was asked whether he knew Vladimir Putin during a two hour interrogation at Bristol Airport
A string of secretive firms, many of which are based in London’s Mayfair, are paid up to £800 per hour by wealthy businesses, oligarchs and autocratic states to gather information on rivals, sometimes via surveillance.
This newspaper, however, has learnt that Britain’s security services have launched a crackdown on intelligence firms suspected of helping oligarchs or organisations allied to the Kremlin.
Mr Wordsworth was not arrested and has faced no further action.
‘I was stopped on my way through the airport almost a year ago,’ he told the MoS last night.
‘Although it was irritating, I am very supportive of the government’s initiative. We are in a dangerous world and need to be vigilant.
‘As was to be expected, there has been no follow up or other action taken against me or Raedas.’
While at his former investigations firm, GPW, Mr Wordsworth worked for Russian oligarch Vladimir Yakunin – an old friend of Putin who rose to become head of state-run Russian Railways
While at his former investigations firm, GPW, Mr Wordsworth worked for Russian oligarch Vladimir Yakunin – an old friend of Putin who rose to become head of state-run Russian Railways
Andrew’s interrogation is believed to have been sanctioned by MI5 and has sent shockwaves through Britain’s booming ‘corporate intelligence’ industry
Andrew’s interrogation is believed to have been sanctioned by MI5 and has sent shockwaves through Britain’s booming ‘corporate intelligence’ industry
Mr Wordsworth, who began his corporate intelligence career in the mid-1990s, is described on his firm’s website as having ‘engaged in many of the last decade’s most prominent disputes connected to Russia.’
It adds: ‘Working with an ever-expanding network of well-placed sources in the region, we are experts at gathering evidence to be submitted in foreign courts.
‘Our success in the region is grounded in our detailed and nuanced insights into the inner workings of the states of the Former Soviet Union.’
While at his former investigations firm, GPW, Mr Wordsworth worked for Russian oligarch Vladimir Yakunin – an old friend of Putin who rose to become head of state-run Russian Railways.
Mr Wordsworth was stopped last March as he passed through immigration at Bristol Airport after a flight from Paris and was quizzed by a Detective Inspector.
Andrew Wordsworth is a great, great, great nephew of the poet William Wordsworth (pictured)
Andrew Wordsworth is a great, great, great nephew of the poet William Wordsworth (pictured)
Britain’s security services are now believed to have started closely scrutinising corporate intelligence firms as part of a wider crack-down on so-called ‘enablers’ of the Russian regime
Britain’s security services are now believed to have started closely scrutinising corporate intelligence firms as part of a wider crack-down on so-called ‘enablers’ of the Russian regime
As well as being asked ‘do you know Putin’, Mr Wordsworth was also quizzed about whether he had met Russian government employees, the MoS understands.
Last night Mr Wordsworth said that following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Raedas ‘immediately refocused the business away from Russia leaving clients and revenue streams.’
‘Any problems we suffered as a result are nothing compared to the pain and suffering being endured by the people of Ukraine,’ he added.
Sources close to Mr Wordsworth – the great, great, great, great nephew of the poet – said he believes the probe may have been sparked by rivals in the corporate intelligence community making false claims against him.
Britain’s security services are now believed to have started closely scrutinising corporate intelligence firms as part of a wider crack-down on so-called ‘enablers’ of the Russian regime.
One corporate intelligence insider said Russians ‘have been the biggest employer for investigators for twenty-odd years.’
A Whitehall source said: ‘The new National Security Act gives MI5 and counter-terrorism police greater powers to charge ‘enablers’ of oligarchs and foreign intelligence agencies, and this is why they should be worried.’
A spokesperson for Raedas said:
‘We work for prominent clients in exceptionally difficult and hard-fought litigation throughout the world. We are typically retained and instructed by their lawyers, often the most highly regarded law firms in the sector.
‘As it pertains to Russia, we apply a strict sanctions policy and comply fully with the UK, EU and US sanction regimes. Moreover, we fully support the UK government’s efforts to enforce its policies and the rule of law more generally.’
Full Article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12988753/private-investigator-police-russia-vladimir-putin-bristol-city-airport.html
Users of Professional Investigative Services including members of the public, legal profession, business and corporate clients, are able to select a credible Professional Investigator who is recognized as a “professional” and as such is a member of an established and approved professional association such as The World Association of Professional Investigators (WAPI).