A glamorous PA to one of London’s wealthiest Russian residents wished a judge a ‘good day’ after she was cleared of fleecing her employer today.
Tatyana Govorov, 31, was said to have used a credit card entrusted to her by top restaurateur Arkady Novikov to rent a London flat and splash out on lavish New Year’s festivities at the Intercontinental Hotel.
Mr Novikov, a personal friend of Vladimir Putin, owns the famous Novikov restaurant chain, which has a Mayfair branch in Berkeley Square.
Tatyana Govorov was accused of using a card entrusted to her by top restaurateur Arkady Novikov to rent a London flat and splash out on lavish New Year’s party
Govorov was charged with four counts of fraud but the prosecution offered no evidence and she walked free
Govorov was entrusted with the card by Mr Novikov, 55, who owns a home in Chelsea, to pay for his household bills.
The Russian blonde was said to have spent more than £35,000 on herself and told an estate agents that Mr Novikov had agreed to act as a guarantor for her new home in Brockley, south east London.
It was claimed that in December 2015 she then used the HSBC card to fund a £28,000 New Year’s eve bash at the luxury Park Lane Hotel, The Intercontinental.
Govorov, who was personal assistant to the family, was given a blank credit card with an account in her name to pay household bills.
Mr Novikov has successful hospitality ventures in London and is worth over £300million. His wife is a successful businesswoman
The restaurateur owns a home in Chelsea is a friend of the Russian President Vladimir Putin
She appeared at Isleworth Crown Court for a plea, trial and preparation hearing wearing a long woolly grey coat, a black dress and a gold necklace where she confirmed her identity and address.
Govorov, of Morrison Court, Tulse Hill, south west London, denied four counts of fraud by abuse of position.
Prosecutor Mark Eldridge announced, however, that he was offering no evidence, though no reason for the charges being dropped was given in court.
Judge Robin Johnson said: ‘Miss Govorov you are discharged – thank you.’
The Russian walked out of the dock and said: ‘Thank you very much, have a good day.’
Mr Novikov has successful hospitality ventures in London and is worth over £300million.
His wife Nadezdha Advokatova is herself a successful businesswoman, having founded the Moscow florists Studio 55.
They have two daughters and the family regularly holiday to their luxury villas on Lake Como, next to Roman Abramovich’s pad, and another home in Sardinia.