Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Arms Dealer Viktor Bout Gets Biopic By His Own Lawyer

Viktor Bout is currently serving out a 25-year sentence in a U.S. prison for a 2011 conviction of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and officials.

Convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout's lawyer has announced plans to create a film based on all the crimes his client "did not commit" to rival an earlier Hollywood blockbuster based on the arms dealer's life.

"Together with a creative group of co-authors, I am looking into the possibility of producing and filming an alternative dramatic or documentary film about Viktor Bout, and about all those crimes that he did not commit," Alexei Binetsky said in comments to Interfax on Tuesday.

The film would be similar to the sensational 2005 action film "Lord of War" starring Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage, he explained. Although the main character in the film, Yury Orlov, was reportedly based on several different well-known criminals, Bout is believed to have been a major inspiration.

Bout is currently serving out a 25-year sentence in a U.S. prison for a 2011 conviction of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and officials. The charge stems from his 2008 arrest in Thailand by a team of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents following an elaborate sting operation where they posed as buyers for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, or FARC. Prosecutors later argued that Bout had intended to supply the group, which the U.S. government considers a terrorist organization, with anti-aircraft weapons and other arms that he understood would be used to kill Americans.

Both Bout and Russia's Foreign Ministry denounced the arrest and subsequent extradition in 2010 to the U.S., with the former accusing U.S. authorities of entrapping him with a "vindictive" prosecution and Moscow claiming the case was politically motivated.

Bout has maintained his innocence, and Binetsky has backed up his client's claims.

"People, and not only those in Russia, have the right to know the truth about Viktor Bout," Binetsky told Interfax, adding that "most of the accusations that are brought against Viktor Bout as Western propaganda do not have any basis and do not correspond to reality."

Bout has already been the subject of at least one other film, "The Notorious Mr. Bout," which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

See also:

Russia Slams U.S. Arrest of Duma Deputy's Son

Contact the author at a.quinn@imedia.ru

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more