[Sonsowey]

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/20...60468.html

Putin is considering releasing thousands of businessmen who're in jail for corruption and money laundering, so they can get back to work for the benefit of the economy.

Does Russia actually arrest corrupt businessmen for corrupt practices? Or are the men in jail for corruption actually just victims of deals between successful corrupt businessmen and the corrupt legal system?

[Caveman]

In a society where the bureaucracy is extremely corrupt like in Russia and most other non-west countries throughout the world, it's impossible to do any business without circumventing many of the laws, so the only other option that those businessmen had was not to be businessmen at all.

Good for Putin he didn't exterminate the business class like Stalin did the Inteligencia in the gulags, so now when he needs them he can recall them back.

[DVY]

He probably released those who ponied up 25-50% of their net-worth.

^^^Common practice in Soviet Era. Arresting people then releasing them upon sufficient extortion.

[Soma]

Which came first: the chicken or the egg?