Russian prosecutors have opened a criminal case against billionaire Alexander Lebedev after he attacked a property developer in a television show.
Mr Lebedev hurled punches at fellow Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky during a television talk show on September 16th, sending him flying across the studio.
Investigators accuse Mr Lebedev, who is the owner of the Independent and the Evening Standard newspapers in Britain, of "hooliganism".
Mr Polonsky, himself a one-time billionaire who lost part of his fortune during the economic crisis, goaded Mr Lebedev on the pre-recorded Crisis: The Russian response special on NTV, announcing that he would rather punch someone than discuss financial issues with oligarchs.
"Do you want to try it out?" Mr Polonsky said.
Within seconds, Mr Lebedev jumped up and punched Mr Polonsky three times in the face, throwing him off his metal stool and sliding alongside the stage.
"I am in shock," a dazed Mr Polonsky later told the show's anchor, who intervened in the brawl and held Mr Lebedev back.
Mr Lebedev (51), is a former Russian spy who made billions trading stocks and bonds after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Forbes magazine put his fortune at $2.1 billion this year.
Mr Polonsky was on the Forbes billionaires list in 2008 but was knocked off during the economic crisis..