Adam Taylor: Is Putin hiding a $200 billion fortune? (And if so, does it matter?)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (C) uses an elevator at the presidential residence in Minsk, on Feb. 12.
In much of the West, the public perception of Vladimir Putin is that of a Bond villain. With his tailor-made suits, thick accent and KGB past, he seems right out of the Pierce Brosnan era. Of course, like all the best Bond villains, Putin needs a mysterious fortune for funding his misdeeds and building elaborate lairs. And so, you find the West fascinated by murky tales of Putin's opulent wealth.
