1/19 In todays soup we will talk about Roman Abramovic, a Russian olichargh who is best known for his previous ownership of footballclub Chelsea. Telling the tale of Abramovic is a rag to riches story with a more sinister side.
2/19 Raised by relatives in the Siberian Komi Republic in the 1960s. He got conscripted in the army and later had a job as a mechanic while studying engineering. A very humble path in life considering he would later become one of the richest men on earth.
3/19 Abramovic had his first taste of moneymaking in the late 80s. Gorbatsjov announced more room for private entrepreneurs to run businesses within the communist system. Roman took the opportunity to start a small toyfactory in plastic ducks.
4/19 With capitalism came opportunity. Abramovic soon chose the path of grifting to gain his riches. In '92 he was apprehended for suspicion of theft of a trainload of diesel by faking documents rerouting it to Latvia. He was let go, we can't rule out bribes helped him.
5/19 Abramovic breakthrough came when he sided with Boris Berezovsky, another jewish businessmen. Both made use of buying up undervalued state companies to become wealthy. Not only business acumen but also corruption, cheating the system and politics that got them there.
6/19 Boris Yeltsin was about to lose the ‘96 elections and his CCCP opponent Zyuganov wanted to turn back the clock. The olicharghs knew what to do; buying Jeltsins loyalty and massively funding his campain while using TV as a weapon. It worked, Jeltsin got re-elected.
7/19 A famous sceme was the auction of statecompany Sibneft in '95. A Chinese competitor wanted to offer twice as much, but was kidnapped in Moscow. Abramovvic paid only 2.7 billion, a sum that was even partly financed by the government according to some sources.
8/19 The Sibneft deal had a bad smell, so Russian proscecutor Skuratov started an investigation. Jeltsin had some involvement in the case and was desperate to get it dismissed. Yeltsin confidant Putin managed to destroy Skuratovs reputation with a sextape, the case was shelved.
9/19 In 1999 it was clear that Jeltsins days were done. The olicharghs sided with Putin who won by a landslide. Putin set new rules for the ultrarich, they had to hand over their media-companies and refrain from politics. Berezovsky refused, Putin plotted vengeance.
10/19 FSB agent Litvinenko confessed to Berezosky he was orderd to kill him. Both fled to the U.K, a worried Roman Abramovic followed. Abramovic decided his biggest safety was to become a public figure in the West, he thus bought football club Chelsea FC.
11/19 Abramovic reinvented himself as owner of a footballclub trying to buy success. He also made good with Putin and could keep his riches. Litvinenko awaited a different faith as he was poisened by the FSB in 2006.
12/19 Throughout the years Abramovic walked a tight rope. On one hand he couldn’t be associated too much with the Kremlin dictator as it would damage his position in The West. On the other hand he needed to be in good relations with Putin to not lose his money, or freedom.
13/19 Supporting Putin did make him butt heads with former friend Berezovsky who started a courtcase against him. The forced sale of Sibneft from Berezovsky had been a shakedown from Abramovic en Putin. Berezovsky lost the case but also won, by damaging Putins reputation.
14/19 The sanctions after the invasion in the U.K. shook up Abramovic’ life. Londongrad had never refused the smell of Russian money but now everything seemed to be dirty. He sold Chelsea FC and tried to salvage his reputation by promising $3 billion for Ukrainian warvictims.
15/19 Abramovic reinvented himself as a mediator, joining negotiations between Russia and Ukraine March 2022, to no avail. Even worse, after the talks he fell ill. Poison, Putins wrath for his lack of loyalty.
16/19 Abramovic couldn’t get his old carefree life back. After the sanctions the trails of his money were under scrutiny. The Cyprus Papers revealed more shady deals but also exposed his children as Lithuanian passportsholders. The Baltic country looked for ways to revoke them.
17/19 The veneer of innocence slowly evaporated, Abramovic profitted from the war. His stake in steel compagnies that provided material to tankfactory Uralvagonzavod is just one example.
18/19 While the sanctions had set in, Abramovic cunningly opted for a Plan B. The UK was getting a little hot under his feet, he thus used his Portugese passport that he had secretly acquired.
19/19 But isn't Roman one of the good guys donating all that money to Ukrainian victims? Well you can't trust him one inch. The EU en the olichargh are in a dispute as he also wants the money to go to Russian warvictims. Grifters will be grifters afterall.
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