Report: Think purchased by Russian Boris Zingarevich

Here's a twist. After Think filed once again for bankruptcy, rumors floated around that Turkey's BD Otomotiv was interested in buying the Norwegian electric car company. Those have quieted down, but Ener1, the battery maker that was invested in the automaker, is Think's largest creditor and is trying to recover around $32 million in unpaid loans and accounts receivable. Into this picture steps (again) Russian businessman Boris Zingarevich.

Zingarevich sits on the board of the Ener1 Group and, according to past reports, has "indirect ownership of less than 40%" of its shares. This connection – and the fact that Zingarevich has "close ties" to Russian elites like President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin – possibly possibly hurt Think's DOE loan application. Now, Norwegian media outlet NA24 (Google translate version) is saying that Zingarevich is has purchased what is left of Think. Our contacts at Think North America tell us that they can't confirm or deny the accuracy of the NS24 report, since Think North America is not directly involved in the bankruptcy process. We'll see what else we can learn in the near future. Thanks to Robert for the tip!

[Source: NA24 (translated)]