Latvian police deny body found

RIGA- Latvian law enforcement authorities have not confirmed reports that the body of Russian-born US businessman Leonid Rozhetskin has been found in a forest in the outskirts of Riga.

Rozhetskin went missing from his vacation home in Latvia's seaside resort city Jurmala in March and has been unaccounted for since then.

Ieva Reksna, a spokeswoman for the Latvian State Police, flatly denied information posted on Russia's Kommersant.ru website that Rozhetskin's body has been found and that DNA tests are under way to identify the body.

Citing sources in Latvia's law enforcement, the Russian website reported that the features of the dead man found in a forest outside Riga suggested that this was the missing millionaire and that DNA tests had been ordered to confirm his identity. The man found in the forest was said to have died from a wound inflicted to his head.

Rozhetskin, 41, was born in Russia but moved to the US in 1980 where he studied law and received US citizenship. In the early 1990s he returned to his native land to take part in the foundation of the Renaissance Capital bank.

His investment company LV Finance used to own one fourth of Russia's third largest mobile operator MegaFon. He was also a vice-president of Russian Norilsk Nickel metal works company. Lately Rozhetskin has been engaged in Hollywood's movie business and a publishing business in London.

Rozhetskin is also known for his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.