Russian whistleblower Alexander Perepilichnyy spent the night before his death vomiting after eating food that tasted “bad” at an exclusive restaurant, his secret lover told his inquest. No plant toxins were found in the system of a Russian whistleblower who died aged 44 while jogging, a botanist told a London court examining his death, British media reported Tuesday. Ms Medynska only learned of his death from the internet on New Year's Eve 2012 and received a threatening message from his email saying she would "die soon" from Aids. Describing their date on November 8 2012 in Paris, the former model said: "When I met him in hotel he was smile, he was calm, relaxed but when we went out at lunchtime he was a little bit nervous. Mr Skelton said: ‘I understand that but really you told the judge that Mr Perepilichny was outside Russia because he feared for his life, did she ask any questions about that?’

Mr Skelton asked the Moscow-based lawyer: ‘Leaving aside the Dzhirsa litigation, which we will come back to, were any of the debts that he was acting in respect of connected to persons or organisations with criminal associations?’

After a brief pause of discussion with the interpreter, Lipkin said: ‘He didn’t want to fly to Russia, we had information which was used in preoceedings that he didn’t come to Russia, he was fearful for his life.’

Mr Skelton said: ‘Are you aware of any threats to Mr Peripilichny’s life outside this judgement?’

Mr Skelton asked: ‘Are you aware of any information other than what you have read in the newspapers to suggest that Mr Perepilichny’s life was in danger prior to his death?’

Lipkin said: ‘Just in general, I don’t know anything specific.’

Mr Skelton said: ‘Do you have any other information that is relevant to Mr Perepilichny’s death, yes or no?’

‘No,’ said Lipkin, ‘apart from what I have already said.’

Mr Skelton asked: ‘Do you have any other information as to motive, motive to kill Mr Perepilichny - yes or no?’

Lipkin said that he did not. Perepilichnyy was in a tense mood as they dined on sushi and tempura together at the Buddha Bar in Paris the night before his death, she told the inquest, demanding that he sit facing the restaurant’s customers and twice sending food back because it seemed off to him. When they returned to their five-star hotel, Mr Perepilichnyy locked himself in the bathroom for about an hour and Ms Medysnak said she heard him vomit three times. When she got home, she sent him a message “apologising for my behaviour because I was very cold with him.” But she never heard back, and that same day, Perepilichnyy returned to his home in Surrey, where he collapsed and died while out for a jog. Perepilichny had been helping Hermitage Capital Management, an investment firm run by Bill Browder, uncover a $150 million Russian money-laundering operation when he died suddenly, according to The Financial Times. After Mr Lipkin said he had done, in ‘the same way he discussed it with me’, Mr Skelton continued: ‘Since Mr Perepilichnyy died, have you spoken with Mr Ruchka about Mr Perepilichnyy’s death?’

The Russian replied: ‘Only in the format that has already been covered in the newspapers.’

Mr Skelton inquired as to whether his partner is ‘aware of any information about who may have threatened or killed Mr Perepilichnyy’.
Elmira Medynska, the partner of Russian whistleblower Alexander Perepilichnyy, tells his inquest at the Central Criminal Court in London he seemed nervous and had been unwell prior to his death. The inquest is attempting to determine if Perepilichnyy had been murdered.