Abramovich Novel Arkadyevich

Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a billionaire, entrepreneur, former governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

Biography

Before the war, the parents of Abramovich's father - Nakhim (Nakhman) Leibovich (1887 - June 6, 1942, Reshota camp, Krasnoyarsk Territory) and Toibe Stepanovna (1890 -?) - Lived in Belarus, after they moved to Lithuania in the city of Taurage.

In June 1941, the Abramovich family and their children were deported to Siberia. The couple ended up in different cars and lost each other. Toibe was able to raise three sons - Roman's father and his two uncles. Roman Abramovich's maternal grandmother Faina Borisovna Grutman (1906-1991) was evacuated to Saratov with her three-year-old daughter Irina from Ukraine in the first days of World War II.

Roman Abramovich was born on October 24, 1966 in Saratov. Roman's parents lived in Syktyvkar (Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). Father Arkady (Aron) Nakhimovich Abramovich (b. 1937) worked in the Komi Economic Council, died in a construction accident when Roman was 4 years old. Mother Irina Vasilievna (nee Mikhailenko) died when Roman was 1 year old.

Raised in the family of Uncle Leib Abramovich, Roman spent a significant part of his youth in the city of Ukhta (Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic), where he worked as the head of the Pechorles labor supply department at KomilesURS. Roman studied in the 2nd grade at school number 2.

1974: Moving from Ukhta to Moscow

In 1974 he moved to Moscow to his second uncle - Abram Abramovich.

In 1983 he graduated from Moscow secondary school No. 232.

1983: Admission to the Ukhta Industrial Institute

In 1983 he entered the Ukhta Industrial Institute at the Faculty of Forestry. He was not distinguished by a desire for study, but had excellent organizational abilities, despite the fact that he was the youngest in the group. There is no information about the completion of UII, respectively, did not receive higher education. Among fellow students there are famous faces in business and musical culture. Roman does not maintain ties with them.

1984: Military service

Military service in 1984-1986 was held in the auto platoon of the artillery regiment (in Kirzhach, Vladimir Region). In December 2009, T. B. Yumasheva (adviser to his father President Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin in 1996-1999) claimed, referring to the story of Abramovich himself, that Roman Abramovich, an ordinary car platoon of an artillery regiment in military unit No. 11785, divided the forest that they had to cut down (as a task before dismissal to the reserve) for equal squares, which he sold to the peasants of a neighboring village for cutting down firewood; the proceeds ("there was a lot of money") were shared with colleagues.

1989: Coziness Toy Co-op

Having begun his work biography as a worker (in 1987-1989 as a mechanic of the Mosspetsmontazh SU-122 trust), in the late 1980s he acquired the Uyut cooperative, whose official activity was to produce toys from polymer materials. Abramovich's partners in "Cozy" Evgeny Shvidler and Valery Oif subsequently made up the managing link of Sibneft.

In the early 1990s, he was the founder of companies: Mekong JSC, ICH Firm Supertechnology-Shishmarev ', AOZT Elita, AOZT Petroltrans, AOZT GUIDE, NPR and many others.

1991: Criminal embezzlement case closed for lack of corpus delicti

In 1991-1993 Abramovich headed the small enterprise AVK, which was engaged in commercial and intermediary activities, including the resale of petroleum products. In 1992, the investigation issued a decree on his detention, in view of the suspicion of the theft by Abramovich of 55 diesel tanks from the state Ukhta oil refinery, worth about 4 million rubles (criminal case No. 79067 of the Moscow city prosecutor's office), which was soon closed 'for lack of corpus delicti'.

1993: Oil trade and acquaintance with Boris Berezovsky

Since 1993, Roman Abramovich has been selling oil to Noyabrskneftegaz (Noyabrsk). His CJSC Mekong as a special exporter ranked second in terms of sales of products of this company after Balkar Trading. According to some reports, Abramovich owed this to acquaintance with Andrei Gorodilov (the former head of the Administration of Noyabrsk), the son of the head of Noyabrskneftegaz and subsequently the first president of Sibneft, Viktor Gorodilov. Around the same time, Roman Abramovich met Boris Berezovsky in the Caribbean. They ended up there at the invitation of Alfa-Bank managers Peter Aven and Mikhail Fridman. Berezovsky was invited by Aven (they were familiar from their work in "LogoVaz"), and Abramovich - Fridman.

On shares with Boris Berezovsky, Abramovich created an offshore company Runicom Ltd, registered in Gibraltar, and five of its subsidiaries in Western Europe. In 1993-1996, Roman Abramovich himself headed the Moscow representative office of Runicom S.A., registered in Switzerland.

Actively cooperating in business with Boris Berezovsky and Alexander Smolensky, in 1995-1996. Abramovich establishes a number of other companies.

1995: Creation and privatization of Sibneft

In early 1995, 28-year-old Abramovich, together with Berezovsky, began a joint project to create a single vertically integrated oil company based on Noyabrskneftegaz and the Omsk refinery, which at that time was part of Rosneft. Viktor Gorodilov supported this idea, while Ivan Dmitrievich Litskevich, general director of the Omsk refinery, insisted on the creation of the FPG.

On August 19, 1995, swimming in Irtysh, Ivan Litskevich died. Five days later, on August 24, by decree of President Boris Yeltsin, the Siberian Oil Company, or Sibneft, was established. In September 1995, Pyotr Yanchev, the head of Balkar-Trading, who could compete in the privatization of Sibneft, was arrested and spent two years in prison. For assistance in the creation of Sibneft, Abramovich paid 10 million. dollars USA Berezovsky, who had to pay them to Korzhakov Alexander Vasilievich (From Abramovich's testimony in the High Court, p. London 77)

Sibneft's board of directors includes Viktor Gorodilov (president of the company), and. about. General Director of the Omsk Refinery Konstantin Potapov and Governor of the Omsk Region Leonid Polezhaev, whose son, Alexei, worked for Abramovich in the Moscow branch of Runicom S.A.

In 1995-1997 Abramovich and Berezovsky use the companies they previously created to acquire Sibneft shares directly or through subsidiaries at collateral and investment tenders. The conditions of the contests contributed to the fact that only affiliated participants were allowed to participate in them, who bought shares at almost the starting price in the absence of any competition.

So in December 1995, 51% of Sibneft's shares (2.3 million units) were pledged to CJSC Oil Financial Company under a loan to the government in the amount of $100.3 million (at a starting price of $100 million), and in April 1997 Financial Oil Corporation LLC bought them for $110 million.

On September 20, 1996, the investment competition for the sale of a 19% stake in Sibneft was won by CJSC Firm Sins', paying 82.4 billion rubles for the package and pledging to invest $45 million in the company. The guarantor was SBS-Agro Bank (owner - Alexander Smolensky). Sins CJSC was established with equal shares of Branko CJSC (established by Roman Abramovich) and P. K.-Trast CJSC (established with equal shares of Roman Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky).

On October 24, 1996, another 15% of the shares were sold at the second competition. CJSC Rifine-Oil won, paying 65 billion rubles for the package and the obligation to invest $35.5 million in the company. The guarantor was again the bank "SBS-Agro." CJSC Rifine Oil was established with equal shares by Servet and Oil Impex (both established by Roman Abramovich).

The Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, which later checked the privatization of Sibneft, recognized it as extremely ineffective and inappropriate.

In June 1996, Roman Abramovich joined the board of directors of Noyabrskneftegaz JSC, and also headed the Moscow representative office of Sibneft. In September 1996, he was elected by shareholders to the board of directors of Sibneft.

Later, on November 1, 2011, Roman Abramovich continued to testify in the lawsuit of Boris Berezovsky, who hoped to sue over $5.5 billion in losses from unprofitable transactions for the sale of shares in Sibneft and the then Rusal, allegedly imposed on him by the defendant with the knowledge of Vladimir Putin. Abramovich described in detail the scheme for financing an application for a pledge auction for Sibneft, the acquisition of control over which was the first major transaction of a businessman. It became his main condition. It follows from Abramovich's testimony that he had little of his money at the Sibneft auction ($17.3 million from Runicom is one of the companies through which Abramovich traded oil, and another $3 million loan), and the rest he actually received on credit on the security of future oil supplies of companies on the basis of which Sibneft was created^[1].

Answering questions from Berezovsky's lawyer, Abramovich told the court that in February 1995 he agreed with the plaintiff to allocate him $30 million a year to finance ORT and personal expenses. For this, Berezovsky was supposed to help him get a presidential signature under the documents on the creation of Sibneft and the subsequent putting up of its shares for a pledge auction.

According to Abramovich, Berezovsky did not consider himself obliged to help in the search for funds for the auction on Sibneft. According to the rules of the auction, the starting price was $100 million, a deposit of $3 million was needed. The applicant had to be a bank or submit confirmation that he had more than $100 million of free cash in his accounts. The auction was won by the Oil Financial Company (NFC), which offered $100.3 million, and a loan in the amount of this amount was provided by SBS-Agro Bank. At the same time, Abramovich admitted that it was Berezovsky who introduced him to the bank owner Alexander Smolensky and helped him "form a desire" to help: "Otherwise, it was a clean business." For the SBS, it was a big deal, Sibneft with $1 billion of cash flow became its client: cards, servicing cash flows, etc., the billionaire explained.

To the lawyer's remark that Smolensky, during interrogation at the Prosecutor General's Office in 2009, claimed that the SBS financed the deal under Berezovsky's personal guarantee, Abramovich replied that interrogation by the prosecutor was a very unpleasant procedure, and from the banker's response it is clear that he was very nervous. Not everything converges in his statements, so I would not rely very much on these words, Abramovich added. At the same time, he noted that the SBS was actually only a "payment agent." The money that the SBS transferred to the government was fully secured by the funds that "my companies" kept from the bank on deposit, he explained. In the same way, Abramovich denied the words of the general director of Noyabrskneftegaz Viktor Gorodilov, who considered Berezovsky, along with Abramovich, the real owner of Sibneft, which he announced during interrogation at the Prosecutor General's Office. Gorodilov left Sibneft after privatization and his statements are based on press reports, "Abramovich replied. He may not remember everything, he was 70 years old, and he talks about what it was 15 years ago, the billionaire added.

According to Abramovich, loans to the NFC were given to Noyabrskneftegaz and the Omsk refinery, on the basis of which Sibneft was created by presidential decree, as well as his company Runicom ($17 million) and several other structures. Another $3 million NFC borrowed from the Russian Industrial Bank. The loan, Abramovich said, was repaid a month later. In turn, Noyabrskneftegaz and the Omsk refinery raised money in the West on the security of their long-term export contracts. Loans were organized by Abramovich's partner Yevgeny Shvidler. These funds came to Noyabrskneftegaz, and from it - through the SBS - to the government, Abramovich outlined the scheme. Answering the lawyer's question why state-owned companies agreed to give him money, Abramovich replied that he had agreed with their leadership: they were interested in us doing it, otherwise others would have done it. I had a good relationship with the management, we had access to suppliers of oil and petroleum products, he explained. "My infrastructure, trading companies, all together made it possible for Sibneft to make big profits. Without my trading companies, the acquisition of Sibneft in itself would not have yielded a good result, because Noyabrskneftegaz was unprofitable, production was falling. And "Sibneft" after its creation for a long time was unprofitable, "said Abramovich.

1998: Unsuccessful attempt to merge Sibneft and Yukos, financing the "family"

In January - May 1998, the first unsuccessful attempt to create a joint company Yuksi on the basis of the merger of Sibneft and Yukos took place, the completion of which was prevented by the ambitions of the owners.

According to some reports, the beginning of the divergence of business and political interests of Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky dates back to the same time, which subsequently ended in a break in relations.

In November 1998, the first mention of Abramovich appeared in the media (even his photographs were missing for a long time) - the dismissed head of the Presidential Security Service, Alexander Korzhakov, called him the treasurer of President Yeltsin's inner circle (the so-called "family"). Information became public that Abramovich pays the costs of the daughter of President Tatyana Dyachenko and her future wife Valentin Yumashev, was involved in financing Yeltsin's election campaign in 1996, and lobbies for government appointments.

1999: State Duma deputy in the Chukotka single-mandate constituency

In 1999, he became a State Duma deputy in the Chukotka single-mandate constituency No. 223. It was in Chukotka that companies affiliated with Sibneft were registered, through which its oil and oil products were sold.

In the Duma, he did not enter any of the factions. Since February 2000 - Member of the State Duma Committee on the Problems of the North and the Far East.

2000

Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug

In December 2000, he left the Duma in connection with his election as governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

Abramovich brings his managers from Sibneft with him to Chukotka.

According to media reports, he invested a lot of his own funds in the development of the region and improving the standard of living of the local population.

Creation of the Russian Aluminum company together with Oleg Deripaska

In 2000, Abramovich, together with Oleg Deripaska, created the Russian Aluminum company, and also became co-owners of Irkutskenergo, the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric station and the RusPromAvto automotive holding (production of cars and trucks, buses and road construction equipment).

Purchase from B. Berezovsky of a stake in ORT TV channel and resale them to Sberbank

At the end of 2000, Abramovich buys a stake in the ORT TV channel from Boris Berezovsky (42.5%) and six months later resells them to Sberbank.

2001

Sibneft shareholders buy 26% of Aeroflot shares

In the spring of 2001, Sibneft shareholders bought up a blocking stake in Aeroflot (26%).

Criminal cases of violations during the privatization of Sibneft are closed in the absence of corpus delicti

In May 2001, the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia initiated several criminal cases against the Sibneft leadership at the request of State Duma deputies on the basis of an act of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation on violations during the privatization of Sibneft, but already in August 2001 the investigation was terminated due to the lack of corpus delicti.

Estimated fortune of $14 billion

In the summer of 2001, Abramovich was first included in the list of the richest people according to Forbes magazine with a fortune of $14 billion.

Transfer of asset management to Millhouse Capital

In October 2001, it became officially known about the creation by the shareholders of Sibneft of Millhouse Capital, registered in London and received the management of all their assets. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Millhouse becomes the President of Sibneft Schvidler.

2002: Purchase with TNK of 74.95% of Slavneft shares

In December 2002, Sibneft, together with TNK, acquired at auction 74.95% of the shares of the Russian-Belarusian company Slavneft (previously Sibneft bought another 10% of the shares from Belarus) and subsequently divided its assets.

2003

Buying Chelsea Football Club and moving to Britain

In 2003, he acquired the English football club Chelsea for £140 million and actually moved to live in the UK.

The Chelsea club was on the verge of ruin, Roman Abramovich paid off his debts and staffed the team with expensive players, which was widely covered in the media in Britain and Russia, where he was accused of investing Russian money in foreign sports.

Inspections of the Prosecutor General's office

Starting from the second half of 2003, Sibneft was subjected to inspections by the Prosecutor General's Office regarding the legality of the acquisition in December 1995 of a stake in a number of companies - Noyabrskneftegazgeofiziki, Noyabrskneftegaz, Omsk Refinery and Omsknefteprodukt, and in March 2004 the Ministry of Taxes and Duties presented Sibneft with tax claims for 2000-2001 in the amount of about one billion dollars. Later it became known that the size of the tax debt was reduced by the tax authorities more than three times, and the debt itself has already been returned to the budget.

The second attempt to merge Sibneft with Yukos is disrupted

In 2003, there was another attempt to merge Sibneft and Yukos, which is disrupted at the initiative of Abramovich after the arrest of Khodorkovsky and the presentation of multibillion-dollar tax claims to Yukos.

2004: Funding the cost of Guus Hidding's job as coach of the Russian national football team

Roman Abramovich became one of the initiators of the invitation of the Dutch specialist Guus Hiddink to the post of head coach of the Russian national football team. Hiddink's salary, as well as the second coach of the national team Igor Korneev, as well as all the costs associated with their stay in Russia (accommodation, transport, etc.) were paid by the National Football Academy Foundation, created by Abramovich in 2004. The head of this fund is Sergey Kapkov, who back in 2001 at the age of 25 became the deputy governor of Chukotka for sports and youth policy. The foundation also sponsors children's junior football schools.

2005

Sale of shares of Aeroflot, Rusal, Irkutskenergo and others

During 2003-2005, Abramovich sold his stakes in Aeroflot, Russian Aluminum, Irkutskenergo and Krasnoyarsk HPP, RusPromAvto.

Sale to Gazprom of 75.7% of Sibneft shares for $13.1 billion

In October 2005, he sold his stake (75.7%) in Sibneft to Gazprom for $13.1 billion and tried several times to leave the governor's post in Chukotka, but each time after meeting with Russian President V.V. Putin was forced from his intention.

On October 16, 2005, the President submitted Abramovich's candidacy for re-appointment to the governor's post. On October 21, 2005, the Duma of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug approved him in office.

2007: Personal protection of 40 people

According to information released by The Sunday Times [, R. Abramovich's personal security reached 40 professional security specialists in 2007: there are about 20 in the UK; a similar number accompanies him in voyages on his yachts, foreign travels and trips to Russia. Such a "private army" is about 8 times the size of a standard close protection unit and costs an estimated £1.2m a year.

2008: Chairman of the Duma of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug

On July 3, 2008, the president D.A. Medvedev prematurely terminated the powers of the governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug with the wording of his own free will.

On July 13, 2008, deputies of the Duma of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug asked Roman Abramovich to become a deputy and head the district Duma.

On October 12, 2008, in a by-election, he became a deputy of the Chukotka Duma, gaining 96.99% of the vote.

October 22, 2008 was elected to the post of chairman of the Duma of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The deputies supported the candidacy of Roman Abramovich unanimously.

2009:51 on the list of the richest people in the world

According to the annual ranking of the richest people in the world, published by the American magazine Forbes in March 2009, the entrepreneur took 51st place in the list of billionaires from all over the world, and also took second place in the list of Russian billionaires with a capital of 8.5 billion US dollars after Mikhail Prokhorov.

2010: Estimated net worth of $11.2 billion

In 2010, having a personal fortune of 11.2 billion dollars US, he ranked 5th in the list of 100 richest businessmen (Russia according to Forbes magazine).

2012: Chelsea club win UEFA Champions League for first time in history

On 19 May 2012, Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history, beating Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout in the final match.

In April 2012, Roman Abramovich and the Governor of the Omsk Region Leonid Polezhaev agreed to transfer Arena Omsk Moscow time to the ownership of the Avangard Sports Club Non-Profit Partnership. Earlier, the Avangard Hockey Center, built at the expense of Roman Abramovich, was transferred to the ownership of NP SK Avangard free of charge.

2018

Obtaining an Israeli passport

In May 2018, billionaire Roman Abramovich received an Israeli passport. This was reported by the Israeli website Ynetnews without specifying sources of information. According to him, on May 28, Abramovich flew by plane to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport^[2].

Difficulties obtaining a British visa

In May 2018, it became known that Roman Abramovich had difficulties obtaining a new British visa. He was forced to leave the UK. In particular, the billionaire missed the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United. Sources surrounded by Abramovich said that the British authorities did not deny him a visa, but the process of considering his documents is being delayed.

Abramovich had a British investment visa, which is issued in exchange for investments in the UK economy of at least two million pounds. The British authorities in March 2018 promised to check the system for issuing these visas - in particular, the circumstances of their provision to Russian citizens.

2021

Roman Abramovich - shareholder of Renaissance Insurance

In early August 2021, it became known that Roman Abramovich became a minority shareholder of Renaissance Insurance for the development of telemedicine projects. Read more here.

£430m Solaris 145m yacht construction order

At the end of February 2021, it became known that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich ordered the construction of a new superyacht worth £430 million, which will soon be launched. It will be 145 meters long, and this yacht will be the largest support vessel. Read more here.

Getting Portuguese citizenship after losing British passport

In December 2021, it became known that billionaire Roman Abramovich received Portuguese citizenship as a descendant of Sephardic Jews expelled from this country in the Middle Ages (1496). At some point, his distant relatives moved from Portugal to Saratov, where he was born.

Abramovich received Portuguese citizenship in April 2021. Immediately after the UK did not renew his passport in connection with the diplomatic incident with Russia.

The Institute of Registration and Notary (IRN) has launched an investigation to verify the legality of issuing a local passport to a Russian tycoon.

According to officials, the questions were raised not by the person, but by the procedure by which Roman Abramovich, like other descendants of Sephardic Jews, received citizenship without proper naturalization, almost lightning quickly.

2022

Transfer of billions of dollars worth of assets to 7 children before the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine

Before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, Roman Abramovich rewrote billions of dollars worth of assets for his children, the Guardian newspaper reported in January 2023, citing leaked documents from the Cypriot company Meritservus, which registers offshore companies and has managed the assets of the Russian billionaire for many years.

Until February 24, 2022, Abramovich was the sole beneficiary of at least 10 trusts registered in Cyprus. On February 4, 2022, their reorganization began, as a result of which the assets were transferred to the seven children of the billionaire. The heirs received shares of large Russian companies and physical assets, such as the Eclipse superyacht 162 meters long. Abramovich's children, the youngest of whom is 9 years old, received from 51% to 100% in these trusts.

Request from friends for $1 million for the salary of a servant due to the freezing of their assets

On April 4, 2022, it became known that Roman Abramovich turned to his acquaintances from Hollywood and the United States with a request to lend him $1 million each in order to keep the business in conditions when his assets were frozen by foreign authorities.

The owner of Chelsea Football Club, whose bank accounts are frozen in the United States and Great Britain, appeals to his famous and influential friends with a desperate request for loans to maintain wages for his employees, which amount to $750,000 a week, and since his assets are frozen, he cannot pay his people, supporting on his numerous yachts. But while Abramovich has many close friends in Hollywood, Wall Street and the tech sector, his partners are wary of lending him money, even as he takes part in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

Abramovich is known to have sought money from Hollywood producer and director Brett Ratner and family, Rothschildow among many others, but - although they are good friends - they did not agree to give him money because either they do not have that kind of money in liquid cash or, more importantly, it is not clear what the consequences would be under international law. Representatives for the Rothschilds and Ratner could not be reached. British previously MEDIA reported that Abramovich is unable to pay rent for the plot of land on which his house stands in the prestigious London Borough of Kensington. In the event of debt, land may be confiscated.

and Great Britain European Union imposed sanctions against Abramovich, whose net worth is $14.3 to data Bloomberg billion, in early March 2022 after the start of a special military operation on Russia. To Ukraine American hedge funds then froze Abramovich's assets. The sanctions also prevented Abramovich from making a profit from the sale of his Chelsea football club for $3 billion.^[3]

British sanctions. Assets in the country frozen

On March 10, 2022, Britain announced that it was imposing sanctions against Roman Abramovich. His assets in the country are frozen.

In addition, as reported on the website of the British Foreign Ministry, Roman Abramovich is forbidden to make transactions with British individuals and legal entities. This fact can significantly complicate for a businessman the sale of Chelsea Football Club (Chelsea F. S.). Separately, it is stipulated that aircraft belonging to Abramovich and other Russians from the "black list" can be seized by the British authorities if they find themselves on the territory of the kingdom, even in the absence of the owner on board.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, commenting on the imposed sanctions, promised to continue to pursue citizens Russia who support the Russian special operation on. To Ukraine

A few days before the imposition of British sanctions against Roman Abramovich, the entrepreneur announced a decision to sell his Chelsea football club, which he has owned for almost 20 years. The billionaire promised to create a charitable foundation and send all proceeds from the sale of the team to it. Abramovich then admitted that the sale would be unsuccessful. Even before that, the billionaire announced the transfer of Chelsea management to the trustees of the team's charitable foundation.

Journalist Stephen Swinford, after Britain imposed sanctions on Abramovich, said that in order to sell Chelsea football club, the United Kingdom government must issue a special permit.

According to The Times, while the club belongs to Abramovich, the sale of tickets for matches is prohibited, since all his property is frozen. Nevertheless, Chelsea players will be able to continue to participate in all matches.

Abramovich's fortune by March 10, 2022 is estimated at $12.3 billion, follows from the Forbes Real-Time rating, which is updated in real time. Chelsea Football Club is estimated at £3bn.^[4]

$7 billion in assets frozen in Jersey tax haven

More than $7 billion of assets owned by Roman Abramovich were frozen by authorities in the Channel tax haven on the island of Jersey in April 2022 in the latest crackdown on offshore assets owned by sanctioned Russian billionaires.

Jersey Crown Court has ordered an asset freeze, the local government said in a statement on Wednesday. At the same time, police searched the premises "allegedly linked" to him.

Jersey Island investigation into origin of Abramovich's wealth

In May 2022, an investigation into the power of the island of Jersey, one of the most popular European offshore companies, was launched against billionaire Roman Abramovich, The Wall Street Journal learned.

Jersey's jurisdiction contains most of Abramovich's entire assets, including the companies for which his real estate, helicopters and yachts are registered. Law enforcement agencies in Jersey intend to understand the origin of Abramovich's wealth and find out whether these assets could not have been obtained illegally.

According to WSJ, they are also interested in how Abramovich received shares in oil companies in the 1990s, "which became the basis of his wealth in post-Soviet Russia."

Sale of Chelsea Football Club for $5.2 billion. The whole amount was taken by the British government

At the end of May 2022, the British government announced the official closure of the sale of Chelsea. Russian businessman Roman Abramovich sold the London football club to a consortium of American businessman Todd Boely. The deal cost £4.25 billion (about $5.2 billion). Read more here.

The businessman himself previously announced that he wants this money "to be transferred to a charitable foundation for the needs of victims on both sides of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine." However, after the sale of the club, "the money was never transferred to Abramovich's account and has since been at the disposal of the British authorities." "Mr. Abramovich does not have access to these funds and does not participate in the process of their distribution," the billionaire's press service said.

In January 2023, the Telegraph reported that the British authorities plan to soon agree on the transfer to Ukraine of 2.3 billion pounds received by Abramovich for London Chelsea. At the same time, it was noted that the transfer of funds will require the approval of the EU authorities, since European sanctions have been imposed against Abramovich.

Sale of UK carrier Truphone for £1

On June 4, 2022, it became known that Roman Abramovich and his partners would sell the British telecom operator Truphone for just £1. In 2020, the company was valued at £410 million. The transfer of the asset to two European businessmen is associated with the sanctions imposed on the billionaire by the EU and the UK.

Attempts to sell a stake in Evraz

Roman Abramovich tried to sell his stake in Evraz. According to Bloomberg for August 2022, the businessman has been trying to sell his stake in Evraz since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, but cannot do this due to the fall in the value of companies' shares and British sanctions against him.

Jersey police apologise to Abramovich for searches

In November 2022, Jersey police apologized to Abramovich for the searches. Searches on the island of Jersey were carried out in April. The Guardian reported that the value of all frozen assets of the businessman is more than €25 billion. Police ruled the searches illegal and apologised.

50% reduction in wealth to $7.8 billion

In 2022, the wealth of Russian billionaires was under attack, but few suffered as much as Roman Abramovich, who diversified his vast fortune into hedge funds, direct investment and London real estate.

Abramovich's fortune in 2022 fell by more than 50% to $7.8 billion, and part of this fortune, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, is illiquid as of December 2022. He will almost certainly not see any proceeds from the sale of Chelsea to American investors. Moreover, his ability to travel the world by private jet or superyacht and buy up trophy properties is now limited.

2023

Truphone sale for £1

At the end of January 2023, the British telecommunications company Truphone, in which businessman Roman Abramovich had previously invested, was sold for £1. It was bought by unnamed European businessmen. Read more here.

A court in Luxembourg refused to return Abramovich's assets illegally blocked in the EU

In December 2023, Roman Abramovich lost a dispute against the decision European Union to freeze his funds and ban him from traveling to 27 countries of the bloc because of his alleged ties with the president. Russia Vladimir Putin

The EU "made no mistake in its assessment" by including and keeping Abramovich on its sanctions list, the bloc's General Court in Luxembourg ruled. He also rejected the businessman's claim for compensation because he failed to overturn the EU's sanctions decision.

The decision of the EU lower court in the Abramovich case can be appealed.

Leaving a tip for 0.5 million rubles in an Istanbul restaurant

On December 21, 2023, it became known that the Russian, Israeli and Portuguese billionaire Roman Abramovich left a tip of 175 thousand Turkish lira in one of the elite restaurants in Turkey, or approximately 546.5 thousand rubles (at the exchange rate as of December 26, 2023). This turned out to be about twice the total amount of the account in the institution.

The former owner of Chelsea Football Club reportedly visited a restaurant in a friendly company located in the Anadolu Hisara district of Istanbul. Guests ordered kebabs and chicken wings, as well as various delicacies. It is said that Abramovich was immediately met "royally," and the dishes for the businessman were prepared personally by the chef. Abramovich and his friends enjoyed food and had long conversations. They were very pleased with the reception and service.

The bill amounted to about 85 thousand Turkish lira (265.5 thousand rubles): having paid it and distributed huge tips, the billionaire left the institution, accompanied by numerous guards. Thus, Abramovich spent more than 800 thousand rubles on one dinner. Network sources emphasize that in 2023 the minimum wage in Turkey is 11,402 lira, or about 35.6 thousand rubles. That is, Abramovich left more than 15 minimum wages to waiters and restaurant staff.

It is also noted that Abramovich, whose fortune according to Forbes at the end of 2023 is approximately $9.2 billion, is often seen in Istanbul, where he owns a mansion worth about $18 million. Meanwhile, the oligarch himself and six other Russian entrepreneurs are under London sanctions. For businessmen, the country's authorities imposed restrictions on the ownership, registration, movement and use of sea and air vehicles, including yachts and personal aircraft.^[5]

2024: Roman Abramovich turned out to be a partner of the Target Global venture capital fund founded by Russians. Billionaire invested $63 million in it

In early January 2024, information appeared that the Target Global venture capital fund founded by Russians managed tens of millions of dollars on behalf of Roman Abramovich. As a result, the sanctioned Russian businessman was able to gain shares in some of Europe's largest startups. Read more here.

Real estate and luxury goods

How many yachts does Abramovich actually own?

Abramovich owns three luxury yachts. In Western media, they are called the Abramovich Navy.

Eclipse

The Eclipse yacht is the longest motor yacht in the world. Yacht "Luna" 115 meters long is the largest expeditionary yacht. Another yacht, the 50-meter Sussurro, is currently permanently located in Antibes and is used as an escort ship.

Pelorus

Previously, Abramovich also owned three other large yachts - Pelorus (went to his ex-wife Irina during the divorce), Le Grand Bleu (donated to Eugene Schwidler) and Ecstasea (sold to an unnamed buyer in 2009).

The famous "bandit" Boeing 767-33A/ER Roman Abramovich

Abramovich owns the Boeing 767-33A/ER aircraft (tail number P4-MES, registered in Aruba), known as the "Bandit" due to its characteristic color. The aircraft was originally ordered by Hawaiian Airlines, but the order was canceled, Abramovich bought this Boeing and converted to his own requirements. P4-MES often parks outside Harrods Aviation at Stansted Airport, UK.

In
September 2008, Abramovich acquired another plane - A340-313X

In September 2008, Abramovich acquired another aircraft - A340-313X (registration number M-ABUS). He also owns three Eurocopter helicopters serving the yachts he owns.

Maybach 62 withstands the hit of not only bullets, but also bombs. Question price - $1.65 million

In 2004, Abramovich bought two armoured Maybach 62 limousines worth £1m.

Ferrari FXX

Abramovich owns a Ferrari FXX, worth $2.2 million, a total of 30 such cars were produced.

He also owns the Bugatti Veyron, Maserati MC12 Corsa, Ferrari 360 and modified Porsche Carrera GT. He also owns a Ducati motorcycle, the fairings of which are painted in the colors of the Russian flag (tricolor) with airbrushing in the form of a golden double-headed eagle from the time of tsarist Russia. The billionaire's collection also includes: Porsche 911 GT1, Mercedes Benz CLK GTR, Rolls Royce Corniche - all cars are bespoke and exclusive.

2020: Buying Israel's most expensive home for $64.5m

In early May 2020, it became known that Roman Abramovich bought the most expensive house in Israel for 226 million shekels ($64.5 million). The villa is located in the resort town of Herzliya on the Mediterranean coast.

According to the Israeli newspaper Globes, the deal was concluded in January 2020. It is not yet reflected on the website of the Israeli Tax Office, but the national land register indicates that the four plots that make up the property are registered in the name of Abramovich, the newspaper reports.

The former owner of the mansion since 2006 was the British hedge fund manager, co-founder of Brevan Howard Asset Management Alan Howard. He bought this property for $9 million and invested huge funds to improve the property, expanding the plot from 6,500 square meters to 9,500 square meters.

Two buildings designed by architect Orly Schrem, along with a tennis court and a hydraulic platform swimming pool that can be turned into a guest area for events, and a tennis court, were built on the property. The basement of the main house has ten jobs with computers.

They wanted to sell the villa within two years, but there was no buyer ready to pay $100 million for it (such a price was originally set). In 2019, Abramovich rented this villa with the right to its subsequent redemption.

By early June 2020, Roman Abramovich has Israeli citizenship, thanks to which a businessman can make visa-free entry to the UK.

Globes notes that for Abramovich this is the third acquisition of real estate in the country. Prior to that, he bought the Versano boutique hotel and an office building in Tel Aviv.^[6]

2022

France confiscated Abramovich's villa worth $98 million

On April 14, 2022, the estate of Roman Abramovich worth $98 million was confiscated by the French authorities as part of an investigation into the billionaire.

The French Ministry of Economy and Finance clarified that it had arrested a total of 33 properties, four yachts and six helicopters belonging to the sanctioned oligarchs.

There are 33 properties that have been confiscated, including those belonging to Roman Abramovich, a French finance ministry spokesman said.

According to reports, one of these objects is the mansion Château de la Croeu, owned by Abramovich and located in the city of Cap d'Antibes, a resort town between Cannes and Nice on the French Riviera. The billionaire spent about €100 million ($109 million) on work to restore the luxurious villa.

Local estate agents also reported that the total value of the villa is estimated at about £90 million ($98 million) and boasts a 15-meter rooftop pool, gym and cinema in the basement.

Abramovich is also believed to be the owner of several yachts, two of which appear to avoid ports where they may be confiscated, while another was reportedly handed over to a business partner just hours after Russia's sting operation in Ukraine began.

Other assets that France has already confiscated are estimated at more than €25 million ($27 million), according to a representative in the French Ministry of Finance.

This is all part of the sanctions program that are being introduced against the Russian Federation in response to its invasion of Ukraine, the representative added.

Some oligarch properties are located in picturesque French cities including Saint-Tropez, Antibes, Cannes, Le Lavande, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Méribel.^[7]

US "banned airports in the world" to serve Abramovich's Boeing 787 Dreamliner

In May 2022, the Ministry of Trade USA added Boeing Roman Abramovich to the 787 Dreamliner sanctions list. Airports around the world under the threat of sanctions are prohibited from refueling, servicing, and repairing this aircraft without special permission from the American side. Earlier, Abramovich's second aircraft, the Gulfstream G650 (LX-RAY), was also added to the list.

Court in New York arrested two Abramovich planes

On June 6, 2022, a federal judge in New York signed a warrant for the confiscation by the Ministry of Justice of two aircraft belonging to the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, which are estimated at more than $400 million.

In this regard, the Bureau of Industry United States Department of Commerce opened an administrative case against Roman Abramovich, demanding fines in the amount of twice the cost of aircraft. Russia Vladimir Putin Boeing The planes linked to Abramovich, who is close to the president are the 787-8 Dreamliner and Gulfstream G650ER, according to documents filed in district court in USA Manhattan.

The aircraft seizures and administrative complaint are the latest in a series of sanctions and economic attacks by the US government and other Western countries on Russian billionaires in response to Russia's military special operation in Ukraine. Prosecutors said both planes were shipped in March 2022 to Russia in violation of U.S. export restrictions.

These restrictions prohibit the export, re-export or domestic transfer of American-made aircraft, their parts and components to Russia or its territory without a license from the US Bureau of Industry and Security. According to court records, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is in the United Arab Emirates, and Gulfstream G650ER in Russia.

Earlier, a source from The Wall Street Journal reported that the billionaire did not fall under US sanctions at the request of Volodymyr Zelensky. Sanctions against Abramovich were developed by the US Treasury Department in early March 2022. But the White House's National Security Council (NSC) ordered the Treasury to delay. Zelensky asked Joe Biden not to impose sanctions against the oligarch, who may be an important mediator in negotiations with Russia.^[8]

2023

16 yachts for $1 billion registered for offshore

In January 2023, it became known that 16 yachts worth $1 billion were found at Roman Abramovich. All of them are registered offshore.

Buying a mansion in Istanbul

On September 18, 2023, it became known that billionaire Roman Abramovich purchased a mansion on the banks of the Bosphorus in Istanbul. The cost of the object is estimated at $18 million.

According to Hürriyet, the site has an area of ​ ​ approximately 9600 square meters. It houses two buildings with a total area of ​ ​ about 2000 square meters. Repairs are ongoing on the estate as of mid-September 2023. At the same time, the new owner received permission to build a helipad.

The acquired property is located in an area called Candilli (Vanikei) in the Istanbul district of Uskudar on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait. It is said that earlier in the mansion lived Turkish preacher, TV presenter and author of the doctrine denying the theory of evolution, Adnan Oktar, known under the pseudonym Harun Yahya. According to Forbes.ru, he was arrested on ten charges in 2018 and sentenced in 2021 to 1,075 years in prison.

It is known that initially Abramovich wanted to buy a house on the Bosphorus, but he could not agree on the construction of a helipad. Therefore, he acquired a plot elsewhere. Roads have been renovated around the purchased mansion, and a high fence has been erected along the perimeter of the site

World famous Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich moved from London to Istanbul after imposing sanctions against Russia, Hürriyet said in a statement.

Abramovich, whose fortune is estimated at $10 billion, attaches great importance to his security and confidentiality. The new mansion will allow him to be in a secluded place. In March 2022, Roman Abramovich fell under British sanctions in connection with the current geopolitical situation. And in May 2022, Abramovich decided to sell the Chelsea football club^[9][10]

State

• In addition, the entrepreneur owns a collection of yachts, cars and mansions. Abramovich is the owner of a £28 million villa in West Sussex, a £29 million penthouse in Kensington, a £15 million home in France, a £11.0 million 5-storey mansion in Belgravia, a £18 million six-storey cottage in Knightsbridge, a £400 million home in San Tropez and a £8 million summer cottage in the suburbs.

• Great Britain According to The Sunday Times (April 2007), he ranked second in the list of the richest people; the fortune was estimated at £10.8bn. According to British experts, it does not pay British taxes provided for British tax residents, as it has a special non-domicile status.

• According to The Daily Telegraph of August 8, 2007, he reissued his British real estate from Caribbean offshore companies to his name.

• According to the Sunday Times in January 2009, according to a conservative estimate, Abramovich's fortune declined by three billion pounds as a result of the financial crisis - to 8.7 billion pounds.

• With a personal fortune of $13.4 billion, in 2011 he took 9th place in the list of 200 richest businessmen in Russia (according to Forbes magazine).

• Information about the property of Roman Abramovich in the spring of 2011 during the campaign for the election of deputies of the local legislative assembly was presented on the website of the election commission of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. As for the businessman's overseas real estate, today the list of houses recorded directly in his name includes 2 houses in the UK, 2 houses in Colorado (USA), 2 houses on the Caribbean island of St. Barts (French Overseas Territories) and a house in France.

• Forbes magazine estimates Abramovich's fortune at $11.3 billion, he ranks 10th in the most relevant ranking of the richest people in Russia at the beginning of June.

2020: Dividend revenues and asset sales - $645 million

On September 22, 2021, Forbes magazine presented an updated rating of Russian billionaires, in which it assessed the "real, real money" received for the sale of assets or in the form of dividends at the end of 2020, and not the value of assets owned by entrepreneurs. Roman Abramovich, according to analysts of the publication, earned $645 million in 2020 and took 9th place in the ranking of billionaires. Read more here.

Personal life

He was married twice:

The first wife is Lysova Olga Yurievna (1963 or 1964), a native of the city of Astrakhan.

Irina Abramovich, second wife of Roman Abramovich

The second wife is Irina Vyacheslavovna Abramovich (Malandina) (1967), a former stewardess.

Abramovich has five children from his second marriage, sons: Arkady Abramovich (1993), Ilya Abramovich (2003); daughters: Anna Abramovich (1992), Sofya Abramovich (1995) and Arina Abramovich (2001).

In March 2007, he was divorced by the Chukotka District Court, at the place of registration. According to the press secretary of the governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, the former spouses agreed on the division of property and with whom their five children will remain.

Before his divorce from second wife Irina, Roman Abramovich's bank accounts, according to the News of the World, had about £8bn.

Darya Zhukova and Roman Abramovich

Currently, Abramovich's girlfriend is designer Darya Zhukova (1983), who on December 5, 2009 gave birth to his son, named Aaron Alexander Abramovich (part of Alexander is given in honor of Daria's father Alexander Zhukov).

Notes