Report: US pushes Fridman-backed firm to sell stake in cyber company

MOSCOW, Apr 11 (PRIME) -- U.S. national security officials told a private-equity firm partly backed by a Russian billionaire named in the Steele dossier to sell its stake in Cofense Inc., a cybersecurity firm used by major corporations, according to people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported late on Wednesday.

Pamplona Capital Management, a multinational firm that has raised money from investors including Fridman, is selling its stake in Cofense after the CFIUS raised national-security concerns associated with foreign investors, the daily reported quoting sources.

The sources said that the first round of bids to acquire the stake in Cofense was supposed to start on Wednesday. A CFIUS spokesperson said that a buyer must receive its approval to become a shareholder of Pamplona. The committee can also recommend the U.S. president block the deal.

A spokesperson for Fridman said that according to the explanations of Pamplona’s management, the reason to sell the stake in Cofense was the volume of foreign participation in the investment company. CFIUS does not have any complaints about the businessman himself or his holding LetterOne.

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