Stealing Popcorn

Today HQ of Mr. Viktor Yanukovich's presidential campaign showed Stealing Popcorn that was originally presented in LA more than a month ago. I've not seen it yet. But it seems that the movie represents a mix of documentary and fiction. It's about corruption in Ukraine, the Lazarenko case, and Mrs. Yulia Tymoshenko who is allegedly associated with Mr. Lazarenko's embezzlement. Btw, Stealing Popcorn features a well-known Columbia University's Professor of Post-Soviet Foreign Policy Tymothy Frye, Ukrainian-born Emeritus Professor of Economics at University of California - Berkeley, John Letiche, and UCLA's Associate Professor of Political Science Richard Anderson.

Mr. Pavel Lazarenko was Ukraine's PM between 1996 and 1997. He was accused of fraud and embezzlement of $200 million. He escaped Ukrainian justice by flying to USA where he was arrested and convicted by the American justice system. Mr Lazarenko was sentenced to nine years in federal prison. In 2004 Mr. Lazarenko posted $86 million bail to remain under house arrest at an undisclosed location in California. The Transparency International named Mr. Lazarenko the eighth most corrupt political leader in recent history.

Here is a link to a screening of Stealing Popcorn in LA, Jan 21, 2009.

Here is a link to the movie.