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Mikhail Lesin was a Russian political figure, media executive and longtime adviser to Putin
He was found dead in his Washington hotel room in November
The death of a former aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2015 was ruled an accident by US authorities on Friday.
Mikhail Lesin was found dead in his Washington hotel room in November with numerous injuries, according to a statement from the DC Medical Examiner’s Office in March. At the time, his death was ruled to be “undetermined.”
On Friday, the US Attorney’s Office issued as statement saying an investigation determined the injuries were sustained while Lesin was alone, and that alcohol consumption was “a contributing factor.”
Based on video footage and witness interviews, the investigation found that Lesin entered his room at the Dupont Circle Hotel for the final time at around 10:48 a.m. ET on November 4 after days of “excessive consumption of alcohol” and sustained the injuries that resulted in his death while alone in the room.
He was found dead the next day.
The medical examiner determined Lesin died as a result of blunt force injuries to his head, with contributing causes being blunt force injuries of the neck, torso, upper extremities and lower extremities, which were induced by falls, with acute ethanol intoxication.
Lesin, a millionaire, was a Russian political figure, media executive and longtime adviser to Putin.
He became head of Gazprom Media in 2013 but resigned the following year. The holding company controls several popular television channels and other media outlets.
CNN’s Josh Gaynor contributed to this report.