Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich and his women are a subject of interest to Russians, because we are talking about one of the richest businessmen in the country, known for his passion for the fair sex. At the same time, as a true Eastern man, he is distinguished by his generosity and recognition of the inviolability of the institution of family.
A little biographyA native of Derbent (Dagestan) turned 50 in March 2016. Since childhood, the young man was fond of sports, which did not prevent him from studying well. After going through the army and graduating from university with a degree in economics, Kerimov began his career at the Eltav plant. The patronage was his father-in-law, because while still a student the young man married a girl named Firuza. She was and remains the main woman in his life, giving birth to three children:
- Gulnara born in 1990;
- Abusaid born 1995;
- Aminat born in 2003
Over the course of 6 years, an ordinary economist rose to the rank of assistant general director and was transferred to Moscow to represent interests in the Federal Industrial Bank, of which the company was one of the founders. The topic “Suleiman Kerimov and his women” is being discussed in the press, because the aspiring entrepreneur has made a huge capital from investments in assets that have growth potential. Having penetrated into the oil industry and became the owner of Nafta-Moscow, he acquired shares in Gazprom, Sberbank, and Polymetal, subsequently selling them at a favorable price.
The appearance of Natalia VetlitskayaHaving earned initial capital in the 90s, Kerimov formally retired, becoming a State Duma deputy from the LDPR (1999). Later he will represent Dagestan in the Federation Council. The connections he made in government agencies helped solve problems in the companies he acquired.
It was during these years that a series of novels began called “Suleiman Kerimov and his women.” A photo of the first beauty, singer Natalya Vetlitskaya, can be seen in the article. The peak of her career also occurred in the 90s. The ascent to Olympus began with a career as a dancer and then as a backing vocalist. At the age of 24, she joined the Mirage group thanks to producer Andrei Razin.
A few years later, the singer left the group. Before meeting with Kerimov, the woman had three official marriages and civil relationships with Vlad Stashevsky, Mikhail Topalov, Dmitry Malikov. Vetlitskaya brought to the stage the image of a socialite, which the temperamental Lezgin simply could not resist.
Romance with a singerThe success of the pop diva on stage is associated with the businessman. After breaking up with him, the singer began to experience real creative stagnation. The oligarch returned the star to the pop Olympus, investing money in her promotion. Suleiman Kerimov and his women always appeared together at social events; fortunately, his wife preferred the comfort of home to public life. The two-year union with Vetlitskaya was no exception, creating the impression that the couple was married. On his girlfriend’s 38th birthday, the billionaire threw a grand party in a 19th-century estate with the invitation of world pop stars. A pendant worth 10 thousand dollars was presented as a gift.
In 2004, Vetlitskaya gave birth to a daughter, Ulyana. Her real father is unknown. The intrigue is reinforced by the fact that outwardly the girl is a copy of her mother. The dizzying romance ended in a break, but as a parting gift, Kerimov left his former passion an apartment in New Riga and a plane. Today the woman lives as a recluse in Spain, does not keep in touch with colleagues in show business and does not give interviews. But the press managed to find out that Vetlitskaya’s affairs are still being handled by the Swiss lawyer Kerimova.
The young Anastasia Volochkova replaced her the same age. Until 2009, Vetlitskaya was still performing and living in Russia, so she witnessed a new romance. According to rumors, she encountered the newly-made couple in one of the restaurants, where she promised to take revenge on the ballerina by hiring bandits. Volochkova was truly frightened and demanded that the oligarch strengthen security.
Suleiman Kerimov’s women knew about his marital status, which they had to put up with. But Anastasia Volochkova made an attempt to take the billionaire away from the family, for which she paid by breaking off relations. Her problems with the Bolshoi Theater coincided with their separation.
Accident in NiceIn the fall of 2006, Kerimov’s car was involved in an accident in Nice, crashing into a tree. The airbags softened the impact, but burning fuel splashed out of the fuel tank, causing a fire. The businessman, engulfed in flames, fell to the ground, trying to extinguish his flaming clothes. Teenagers playing baseball on the lawn came to his aid. This saved his life, although French doctors fought for it for a long time. Today, the incident is reminded of the skin-colored gloves that the businessman has been wearing since then.
What does this have to do with the story called “Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich and his women”? A photo of TV presenter Tina Kandelaki spread across the media. The dazzling brunette was in the car next to the oligarch, but fortunately did not receive serious injuries. Being married to businessman Andrei Kondrakhin, the woman carefully tried to hide her relationship with the oligarch, but the fact was made public. A few years later, Kandelaki’s marriage broke up.
Katya GomiashviliAt the same time, Moscow was whispering about the oligarch’s affair with the youngest daughter of successful restaurateur Archil Gomiashvili, who created the unforgettable image of Ostap Bender in the cinema. Having received an excellent European education, Katya created her own clothing brand, Mia Shvili, with her father’s money. Things were going mediocre until an influential patron got involved. Katya became part of the project “Suleiman Kerimov and his women.” Their romance lasted 4 years, during which the girl managed to open a boutique in London, designed by world-famous designer Ab Rogers, and gain a name in Moscow by attracting celebrities such as Kate Moss to show collections.
Her painted sheepskin coats, towel dresses and sequined swimsuits were bought up with pleasure by the “golden youth” until the girl lost interest in the modeling business. It turned out that this was due to her pregnancy. The birth of her daughter Maria forced the woman to sell her boutiques, for which she received compensation of a million dollars from Kerimov. He established a monthly boarding house for the newborn and gave his ex-mistress a villa in France.
EpisodesWhat other beauties of our time are included in the story called “Suleiman Kerimov and his women”? Following Nastya Volochkova, the oligarch had a short relationship with the actress. The photograph demonstrates a certain female type, to which the ladies' man is partial. But the film star’s demands turned out to be too great for him, so the couple quickly broke up.
The paparazzi spotted the oligarch's seclusion in the Stork restaurant with the beautiful Zhanna Friske. For about two hours, the businessman affectionately stroked his companion’s hand, whispering compliments in her ear. History is silent whether this was an isolated incident, or whether they had any relationship.
Today's dayThe 2008 crisis led to Kerimov losing more than $20 billion due to investment in Western projects. The businessman not only recovered from financial setbacks, but also again took a leading position in domestic business. However, today the topic “Suleiman Kerimov and his women” is practically closed. Photos from 2016 show that the oligarch is no longer accompanied by young beauties at social events. This is associated with illness and the consequences of the accident in Nice. In 2016, the oligarch resigned from the Federation Council and left the Duma. Previously, he left his favorite brainchild - the Anzhi football club.
The last woman about whom the press wrote as the businessman’s main favorite was his daughter Gulnara, who in 2013 married the son of wealthy parents named Arsen. The oligarch arranged a luxurious wedding for her in a private golf club with the invitation of Italian and local celebrities.
https://www.site/2013-05-16/kak_zhivetsya_v_zolotoy_kletke_zhenam_rossiyskih_oligarhov_usmanova_abramovicha_kerimova_deripaski_i
How to live in a “golden cage”. The wives of Russian oligarchs Usmanov, Abramovich, Kerimov, Deripaska and Khodorkovsky were labeled. The latter’s wife was called the “wife of the Decembrist.” PHOTOThe “Top 7” rating of oligarchs’ wives, published today by the RBC agency, included the wife of Metalloinvest founder Alisher Usmanov - Irina Viner, the beloved of the main owner of Evraz Group Roman Abramovich - Dasha Zhukova, the wife of Rusal co-owner Oleg Deripaska - Polina Deripaska , the wife of billionaire Alexander Lebedev Elena Perminova, the companion of the co-owner of the Capital Group company Vladislav Doronin Naomi Campbell, the wife of political prisoner Mikhail Khodorkovsky Inna Khodorkovskaya and the wife of one of the main shareholders of Uralkali Suleiman Kerimov Firuza.
Irina Viner, who ranks first in the ranking, is presented in it as a “sports lioness.” She is known primarily for her own achievements, being a coach and president of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation. Irina Viner raised many Olympic champions.
Irina met Alisher Usmanov in the gym. Inspired by The Three Musketeers, the young man took up fencing. However, Usmanov then did not dare to approach the already famous gymnast. A few years later they met by chance on the street in Moscow. Wiener, who survived a failed marriage, came to the capital to pursue a career, and Usmanov studied at MGIMO. It took the future billionaire just a few days to charm the girl: his trump cards were charm and encyclopedic knowledge. The young people began to meet, and then live together.
The creators of the rating called Daria Zhukova Abramovich’s “garage girlfriend.” For her sake, the oligarch divorced his wife, who bore him five children. Daria Zhukova is no less famous than her companion. Today she is the editor of the website about social life “Spletnik.ru”, heads the center for contemporary culture “Garage” and the charitable foundation for the support and development of contemporary art “Iris”, created with the financial support of Abramovich. In her free time from work and social life, Zhukova plays tennis, does yoga and jogging.
Daria met Abramovich in 2005 at a social party in Barcelona. Since then, the couple began to be seen together often: they watched football, traveled, and went to parties. A year later, the official wife of the lover of large yachts could not stand it and filed for divorce, which, according to press reports, cost the billionaire $300 million, four London villas and two apartments. Now Abramovich and Zhukova are raising two small children: son Aaron Alexander and daughter Leia.
Polina Yumasheva, aka Deripaska, is listed as a “business lady” on the list of oligarchs’ wives. The marriage of Boris Yeltsin’s “adopted granddaughter” Polina Yumasheva with Oleg Deripaska looks like a profitable deal, as a result of which each of the spouses received pleasant bonuses: she - money, he - access to the highest political spheres.
Now Polina owns several publications. Among them: “Hello!”, “My baby and I”, “Bear”, “Story, Car” and “Empire”.
Top model Elena Perminova is presented in the rating as a “criminal fashionista.” Alexander Lebedev became not only her husband, father of two children and sponsor of her stylish looks, but also saved the girl from prison. In 2004, a 17-year-old model was detained in a club while trying to sell drugs. She was engaged in this business together with her common-law husband Dmitry Kholodkov. Concerned about the threatening consequences, the girl’s father sent a letter to State Duma deputy and millionaire Alexander Lebedev with a request to protect his minor daughter from the influence of a criminal group. The oligarch took on a case that was being decided at the highest level: Lebedev’s lawyer Yuri Zak defended the girl. Thanks to Lebedev, Elena was sentenced to 6 years of suspended imprisonment. Her accomplice was sent to prison for 8 years. To restore her reputation, the girl then posed for anti-drug posters under the slogan “Say no to drugs.”
After the successful completion of the criminal case, Elena began to be often seen in the company of her benefactor - the 27-year age difference did not bother the girl.
Naomi Campbell is traditionally called the “black panther” in the ratings. In the 90s, the beauty was considered one of the most sought-after models: she represented brands such as Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, and her photos graced the covers of leading fashion publications. At the same time, Naomi has long been assigned the title of Hollywood's main brawler. Among her most notorious “misdeeds” are beating a maid and scandals at the airport.
In February 2008, at a Vogue magazine party in Brazil, Naomi met Vladislav Doronin. The supermodel's friends who watched their interaction claimed that it was love at first sight. To conquer the “black panther,” the Russian oligarch showered her with gifts: a house in the shape of the eye of the Egyptian deity Horus was built especially for her on one of the Turkish islands. As soon as the girl mentioned in a conversation that she liked Brazil, her lover presented her with a penthouse in Sao Paulo. Naomi was also given a palace in Venice.
True, there are now rumors that the couple broke up. And precisely because of the scandalous nature of the “panther”.
Inna Khodorkovskaya entered the Top 7 rating as “the wife of a Decembrist.” Over the past 10 years, she has had to get used to the role of the wife of a political prisoner. Having married Mikhail Khodorkovsky, she experiences his ups and downs with him. The criminal case and arrest of Khodorkovsky came as a shock to Inna. For two years she was deeply depressed, she even had to undergo treatment and take sedatives.
The courts made Inna a public person. Unlike Mikhail’s mother, who takes an active position and often communicates with journalists, the wife of the country’s main political prisoner, by her own admission, does “inconspicuous work”: she goes on dates with her husband, carries packages for him.
In seventh place in the ranking is Kerimov’s wife, the “oriental prude” Firuza. The couple's romance began while they were still studying, and soon the lovers got married. For Kerimov, this marriage turned out to be a winning ticket, since Firuza was the daughter of a Dagestani party boss. According to rumors, it was his father-in-law who helped graduate Kerimov get a job as an economist at the Eltav electronics plant. Kerimov quickly made a career at the enterprise, and in the early 90s the family moved to Moscow, where the businessman began to represent the interests of several television manufacturers from different CIS countries.
Firuza is a real oriental wife. She does not like social events and the attention of journalists. The woman is busy raising three children and helping her husband. There were no photographs of her on the Internet.
Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich
Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich, born March 12, 1966, native of Derbent, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Lezgin by nationality. Member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Dagestan. United Russia Party.
BiographyKerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich, born March 12, 1966, native of Derbent, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Lezgin by nationality.
Currently, Kerimov's fortune is estimated at about $7.5 billion. He is one of the twenty richest businessmen in Russia according to Forbes magazine.
On August 29, 2013, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus announced that it was ready to open a criminal case against Kerimov.
On April 6, 2018, US sanctions were imposed against S. A. Kerimov.
Relatives. Wife: Firuza Nazimovna Kerimova (maiden name Khanbalaeva), born October 22, 1967, housewife. He is the beneficiary of FC-Capital CJSC, which owns 99.5% of the shares of Nafta-Moscow OJSC.
Son: Kerimov Said Suleymanovich, born on July 6, 1995, third-year student at the International Institute of Energy Policy and Diplomacy MGIMO, specializing in International Business and Business Administration. At the end of 2014, he acquired Russia's largest cinema chain, Cinema Park, from Vladimir Potanin for $300 million. In April 2015, it became known that the owner of 40.22% of Polyus Gold is not only the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation, but also Said Kerimov personally.
State. Income in 2014. RUB 109,624,689.02 Spouse: RUB 908,228.04 Real estate Apartment, 37.8 sq. m (in use) Spouse: Apartment, 54 sq. m, shared ownership 1/3 Child: Apartment, 54 sq. m. m (in use) Vehicles Passenger car, Mercedes-Benz S-class Spouse: Passenger car, BMW 7 series Spouse: Passenger car, BMW 7 series Spouse: Passenger car, Mercedes-Benz S-class FORBES magazine assessed Kerimov's condition at 3 .4 billion US dollars (April 2015). In 2014, Kerimov’s fortune was estimated at $6.9 billion.
Hobbies. Cars, auto racing, football.
Education- After graduating with honors from secondary school No. 19 in Derbent in 1983, he entered the construction department of the Dagestan Polytechnic Institute.
- After the first course he was drafted into the army. In 1984-1986 he served in the Strategic Missile Forces in Moscow, senior sergeant as crew chief.
- After returning from the army, Suleiman Kerimov transferred to the Faculty of Economics of the Dagestan State University, from which he graduated in 1989. He was deputy chairman of the university trade union committee.
After graduating from university, he worked at the Eltav plant (Makhachkala), where he worked his way up from economist to assistant general director for economic issues.
- In 1995, he became deputy general director of the Soyuz-Finance company (Moscow).
- In 1997, he became a research fellow, and in 1999, vice-president of the ANO International Institute of Corporations.
- At the same time, he was engaged in business, purchasing in 1998 a 55% stake in the oil trader Nafta-Moscow for $50 million. He subsequently acquired 100% of the shares of this company.
- From 1999 to 2007, Kerimov was a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, first from the Liberal Democratic Party, and since 2007 from the United Russia party.
- In 2007, he became a member of the Federation Council of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Dagestan.
- Continuing to do business, in 2005 Kerimov acquired Mosstroyeconombank and the Polymetal company.
- Since 2011, he has been the owner of the Anzhi football club in Makhachkala.
- He also owns 25% of the shares of OJSC Uralkali. In April 2013, he transferred the rights to his assets to a charitable foundation.
Abramovich Roman Arkadievich, born October 24, 1966, entrepreneur. In 2001, he was Kerimov’s ally in obtaining a share in Andrei Andreev’s business (Avtobank, Ingosstrakh, NOSTA). Currently they continue to maintain contact.
Baturina Elena Nikolaevna, born 03/08/1963, entrepreneur. Wife of former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Kerimov previously collaborated with her on a number of development projects in Moscow, but their relationship subsequently deteriorated.
Gutseriev Mikhail Safarbekovich, born 03/09/1958, entrepreneur. They collaborated closely in the early 2000s, especially in the acquisition of Mosstroyeconombank.
Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska, born on January 2, 1968, entrepreneur, owner of the Basic Element Group of Companies. We've known each other since the 1990s. They collaborated in the acquisition of Nafta Moscow and the Varyeganneftegaz company in 2000, as a result of which Kerimov received 70% of the shares of this company.
Kandelaki Tinatin Givievna, born November 10, 1975, TV presenter, journalist. They were in a love affair, as a result of which Kandelaki separated from her husband Andrei Kondrakhin. Together in 2006, they had a serious accident in Nice, as a result of which Kerimov was hospitalized in serious condition.
Matvienko Sergey Vladimirovich, born 05/05/1973, entrepreneur. Son of the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko. Kerimov worked closely with him in the implementation of development projects in St. Petersburg.
Khanbalaev Nazim Igramutdinovich, born on September 25, 1939, general director of Dagagrokomplekt LLC. Kerimov's father-in-law. “Supervised” his son-in-law’s career at the initial stage, helped him move to Moscow.
Amirov Said Dzhaparovich, born on March 5, 1954, native of the village. Dzhangamakhi, Levashinsky district, Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Former mayor of Makhachkala. On June 1, 2013, he was detained on suspicion of involvement in a criminal group, which is responsible for drug trafficking and numerous murders of law enforcement officers. He repeatedly contacted Kerimov as part of attracting the wealthy Dagestani community to participate in the “organization of life” of the local elite.
To informationOn the night of November 21, 2017, Kerimov was detained at Nice airport. Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said that the senator was detained in a case of possible laundering of funds fraudulently withdrawn from taxation. The subject of the investigation was the acquisition of several villas on the French Riviera through fictitious companies in order to reduce taxes. Kerimov’s representative said that no charges had been brought against him, and the senator himself was confident of his innocence. In 2005, information appeared in the media about the proposed construction of a “city for millionaires” near Moscow, in which 30,000 wealthy residents of Russia were supposed to live, the idea of which belonged to Kerimov. However, he later sold the project to the president of Bin-Bank Mikail Shishkhanov. At the end of November 2006, he had a serious accident in Nice: a Ferrari Enzo, driven by Kerimov, for an unknown reason drove off the road and crashed into a tree. As a result of a collision with a tree, burning gasoline spilled from the car’s burst fuel tank onto Kerimov’s back. According to eyewitnesses, Kerimov ran out, engulfed in flames, and rolled on the ground, trying to put out the fire; this was only possible after three teenagers who were playing baseball nearby ran up to him. As a result of a huge traffic jam that formed at the scene of the accident, the entrance to Nice was blocked for about two hours. The helicopter took Kerimov with severe burns to a specialized department of the Conception hospital in Marseille, where he was connected to a ventilator. The victim was in a state of artificial coma. At the same time, Kerimov’s companion, the famous TV presenter Tina Kandelaki, was practically unharmed. The Ferrari, worth around €675,000, was sent to the scrapyard. On September 2, 2013, the Investigative Committee of Belarus announced the involvement of Kerimov as a defendant in organizing abuse of power and official authority (clause 4 of article 16 and part 3 of article 424 of the Criminal Code of Belarus). On the evening of September 2, Interpol accepted the application of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus and put Suleiman Kerimov on the international wanted list.
Suleiman Abusaidovich Kerimov (Lezh. Kerimrin Abusaidan hva Suleiman). Born on March 12, 1966 in Derbent (Dagestan). Russian entrepreneur and politician.
By nationality - Lezgin.
Father is a policeman.
Mother is an accountant, worked in the Sberbank system.
Suleiman is the youngest in the family. Has a brother, a doctor by profession. He also has a sister, she is a teacher of Russian language and literature.
During my school years I was involved in sports - judo and kettlebell lifting. Repeatedly became the winner of various competitions. He studied well at school, exact sciences were easy for him, and his favorite subject was mathematics.
After his first year, he was drafted into the army and served in the Strategic Missile Forces from 1984-1986. He was demobilized with the rank of senior sergeant as a crew chief.
After demobilization, he transferred to the Faculty of Economics of the Dagestan State University, from which he graduated in 1989. While studying at DSU, he was a social activist and deputy chairman of the university trade union committee.
After graduating from university, he worked as an economist at the Eltav defense plant. He worked his way up from an economist to assistant general director for economic affairs, which he became in 1995.
Suleiman Kerimov's height: 182 centimeters.
Personal life of Suleiman Kerimov:
Married. His wife’s name is Firuza, she is his classmate at DSU. Father-in-law is a former major party functionary, chairman of the Dagestan Council of Trade Unions Nazim Khanbalaev. With his help, Kerimov took the first steps in the career of a successful businessman.
Has three children.
Suleiman Kerimov, wife Firuza, children and mother
Had many high-profile novels. His scandalous personal life is constantly in the spotlight of the media.
He was in a relationship with a 1990s star singer. He openly appeared with the artist at social events. At one time they were even considered almost husband and wife. The businessman showered Natalya with expensive gifts and literally showered her with money. “He doesn’t spare anything for me. He gives me money in bags,” Vetlitskaya boasted to her friends.
After her affair with Kerimov, Vetlitskaya was left with a huge house in New Riga of 3,000 square meters. There were also rumors about an apartment in Paris and various expensive jewelry being given to her.
Natalia Vetlitskaya
Anastasia Volochkova
However, the romance with Volochkova quickly ended. Persons familiar with the situation explained this by the excessive greed of the ballerina, which pushed the businessman away from her. After breaking up with Kerimov, Volochkova began having problems in the theater.
Nastya tried to return her rich lover, even publicly confessed her love to him, but to no avail.
Anastasia Volochkova about Suleiman Kerimov
Olesya Sudzilovskaya
Zhanna Friske
The businessman had an affair with a TV presenter. This became known after Kerimov got into an accident in his Ferrari Enzo on November 26, 2006 in Nice (France) - he crashed into a tree. The airbags softened the impact, but burning fuel splashed out of the fuel tank, causing a fire. The businessman, engulfed in flames, fell to the ground, trying to extinguish his flaming clothes. Teenagers playing baseball on the lawn came to his aid. This saved his life, although French doctors fought for it for a long time. He suffered severe burns and is now forced to wear flesh-colored gloves.
Tina Kandelaki was also in the car with Kerimov. In memory of this incident, Tina received two tattoos. On the left wrist there is one of the Reiki symbols - chokurei (Japanese 超空霊 chōkurei), the meaning of which has several interpretations, one of which allows you to speed up the healing process of wounds. On the left thigh is a Chinese character that means “mother.” The tattoos are applied to burns received as a result of the accident.
Tina Kandelaki
For 4 years he was in a relationship with designer Katya Gomiashvili (born 1978), the daughter of a famous actor (played Ostap Bender in Gaidai’s “12 Chairs”).
At the time of her relationship with Kerimov, Ekaterina Gomiashvili opened a number of boutiques in Moscow and London. Top models Kate Moss and Devon Aoki took part in the advertising of Gomiashvili's clothing collections.
After breaking up with Kerimov, Ekaterina retired and went to Bali, where she gave birth to a daughter. There were rumors that this could be Kerimov’s child, but officially the father is a certain Italian.
Since 1993, he has lived and worked in Moscow - since the Eltav company and its affiliates established the Federal Industrial Bank. Suleiman was sent there to represent the interests of Eltava.
In Moscow, his circle of business acquaintances expands sharply. The energy of the young businessman, the professionalism of the manager, and the desire for independence did not go unnoticed.
In 1995, Kerimov accepted an offer to become deputy general director of the Soyuz-finance company in Moscow.
Since April 1997 - researcher at the International Institute of Corporations (Moscow).
At the end of 1999, Suleiman Kerimov bought shares in the oil trading company Nafta-Moscow, the successor to the Soviet monopolist Soyuznefteexport. Subsequently, this company became Kerimov’s main business tool.
In 2003, Nafta-Moscow received a loan from Vnesheconombank, which was invested in shares of Gazprom OJSC. Over the next year, Gazprom's share prices doubled and the loan was repaid within four months. In 2004, Sberbank provided Kerimov’s structures with a loan in the total amount of $3.2 billion, which was also invested in shares and subsequently fully repaid. By 2008, Nafta-Moscow owned 4.25% of Gazprom shares and 5.6% of Sberbank shares. In mid-2008, Kerimov completely withdrew from the share capital of Gazprom and Sberbank.
In November 2005, the Nafta-Moscow company acquired a 70% stake in Polymetal, one of the largest gold and silver mining holdings in Russia. In 2007, Polymetal successfully completed an IPO on the London Stock Exchange, after which Nafta-Moscow sold shares of the company.
In 2005, the Moscow mayor's office and one of Kerimov's structures created a joint telecommunications enterprise Mosteleset, which became the sole shareholder of the largest cable operator in Moscow, Mostelecom. In 2007, telecommunications assets were merged into the National Telecommunications holding and a year later sold to a consortium of investors led by Yuri Kovalchuk’s National Media Group for $1.5 billion.
In 2003-2008, Nafta-Moscow developed the Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye project, which was called in the press “the city of millionaires”; the idea of creation belonged to Kerimov. Subsequently, the project was sold to the president of B&N Bank, Mikhail Shishkhanov.
In the spring of 2009, Kerimov’s structures began a project for the reconstruction of the Moscow Hotel. After the reconstruction was completed, a five-star Four Seasons hotel with a shopping center, offices and apartments was opened in the building. In 2015, Belarusian businessmen the Khotin brothers bought the hotel from Kerimov’s structures.
In the spring of 2009, Kerimov’s structures purchased a 25% stake in PIK, the largest developer in Russia. At that time, the PIK group of companies needed additional financial resources: the debt reached $1.98 billion, and capitalization dropped to more than $279 million. Nafta-Moscow later increased its stake in PIK Group to 38.3%.
During the first 2 years of Kerimov’s ownership (from 2009 to 2011), PIK restored financial stability and strengthened its position in the market. In December 2013, Kerimov sold the entire stake to Russian businessmen Sergei Gordeev and Alexander Mamut.
After losses during the economic crisis of 2008-2009, Kerimov changed his investment strategy and began buying large enough blocks of shares to be able to influence the strategies of the companies in which he invests. In 2009, Nafta-Moscow bought from Vladimir Potanin for $1.3 billion a 37% stake in Polyus Gold, the largest gold producer in Russia. Later the stake was increased to 40.22%.
In 2012, the company held an IPO on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). At the end of 2015, Kerimov’s structures consolidated the rights to 95% of the shares of Polyus Gold by purchasing shares from minority shareholders. The offer was followed by the delisting of Polyus Gold from the London Stock Exchange.
In April 2016, the entrepreneur’s children, Said and Gulnara, were included in the board of directors of PJSC Polyus Gold.
In June 2010, Kerimov and his partners Alexander Nesis, Filaret Galchev and Anatoly Skurov acquired a 53% stake in the potash giant Uralkali from the previous owner Dmitry Rybolovlev. The deal was valued at $5.3 billion. For this purchase, Kerimov received a significant loan from VTB.
Being the world's largest producer of potash fertilizers, Uralkali sold products on the world market together with Belaruskali through a common sales company (BKK). In July 2013, Uralkali announced that it was withdrawing from the sales agreement with Belaruskali, reducing prices and increasing production to maximum capacity in order to increase market share. On September 2, 2013, the Investigative Committee of Belarus opened a criminal case against Kerimov and a number of Uralkali employees for abuse of power and official authority. On the evening of September 2, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus demonstratively sent a request to Interpol to put Kerimov on the international wanted list, but Interpol denied the message of the Belarusian authorities about adding Kerimov to the “red list”, seeing a political motive in the request. Subsequently, the Belarusian authorities withdrew the request and closed all criminal cases.
In December 2013, Kerimov sold 21.75% of Uralkali shares to a businessman and 19.99% to the owner of Uralchem, Dmitry Mazepin.
He was involved in investments outside of Russia, but was unsuccessful. In 2007, as markets around the world began to tumble, Kerimov reduced his stakes in Gazprom and other Russian blue chips and approached Wall Street about investing a significant portion of his fortune. In exchange, Kerimov was supposed to receive more favorable lending terms for future loans. In 2007, Kerimov invested billions of dollars in Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and other financial institutions. Although neither Kerimov nor Western banks have disclosed the exact size of his investment, it is quite significant. Forbes magazine called Kerimov the largest private investor in Morgan Stanley. By 2008, according to Forbes, he withdrew the bulk of his capital from Russia, investing in shares of foreign corporations. Analysts estimate that during the economic crisis, this decision led to the loss of almost $20 billion as a result of margin calls.
Suleiman Kerimov’s net worth: in the Forbes ranking of “Russia’s 200 richest businessmen” for 2017, he took 21st place with $6.3 billion. In 2016, according to Forbes magazine, his fortune was $6.1 billion. In previous years: 2013 - $7.1 billion; 2012 - $6.5 billion; 2011 - $7.8 billion; 2010 - $5.5 billion
Criminal prosecution of Suleiman Kerimov in France:
November 20, 2017. Later it was clarified that - several tens of millions of euros. Four more alleged accomplices were detained along with him. He was ordered to surrender his passport as a Russian citizen to the French police and pay bail in the amount of 5 million euros to avoid detention. In addition, he is obliged to “refuse to meet and contact with a list of persons that we cannot disclose,” the prosecutor indicated. This means that the billionaire senator will not be able to leave France.
Earlier in March 2017, the newspaper Nice Matin reported about a search at the Hier villa in France, which allegedly belongs to Kerimov. The searches took place on February 15 in connection with an investigation into the acquisition of real estate in France. According to the publication, the senator owns real estate in Antibes, the total area of which is 90 thousand square meters. The area of the villa itself reaches 12 thousand square meters. The billionaire's assistant then stated that Kerimov had no property outside Russia. According to him, the newspaper's information is unreliable.
In June 2018, he himself was transferred to the category of witnesses.
From January 2011 to December 2016, Suleiman Kerimov was the owner of the Anzhi football club (Makhachkala), which plays in the Russian football Premier League. Under him, the club acquired such famous players as Yuri Zhirkov (Chelsea London) and Roberto Carlos (Corinthians Sao Paulo), super forward Samuel Eto'o (Internazionale Milano).
In 2013, as part of the development of a new long-term development strategy for the club, it was decided to reduce the club's annual budget to $50-70 million, compared to the previous budget of $180 million per season. Most of the expensive foreign stars were sold, and the club relied on young Russian players.
In addition to financing Anzhi, Kerimov’s funds were used to build a modern football stadium, Anzhi-Arena, for 30 thousand spectators near Makhachkala, and to operate the Anzhi Children’s Football Academy.
Political activities of Suleiman KerimovIn 1999-2003, Suleiman Kerimov was a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the 3rd convocation from the LDPR, and was a member of the State Duma Security Committee. In the period from 2003 to 2007, Kerimov was a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the fourth convocation from the LDPR, and also served as deputy chairman of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs.
Since 2008, Kerimov became a member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, the upper house of the Federal Assembly, and represents the Republic of Dagestan.
Throughout Kerimov’s tenure as a member of parliament and then as a senator, shares of enterprises owned by him, as well as other business assets, were in trust management, and since the end of 2013 they have been transferred to the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation.
In September 2016, he was re-elected as a senator from Dagestan in the Federation Council. In this regard, he prematurely terminated his powers as a deputy in the People's Assembly of Dagestan.
Early years.
Education, service
In 2001, Kerimov became the owner of the Nosta steel mill (today Ural Steel), the insurance company Ingosstrakh and Avtobank.
In 2005, through the joint efforts of Suleiman Abusaidovich and the Moscow City Hall, the telecommunications company Mosteleset appeared. Kerimov also owned shares in the developer PIK, the companies Polyus Gold, Uralkali and others, was involved in the restoration of the Moscow Hotel, invested in foreign projects and companies, and financed the Anzhi football club.
Policy
Car accident
Charity
If you are interested in learning more about the oligarchs on our planet, then you should get acquainted with one of the representatives of the oligarchs - Suleiman Kerimov. This man once had a rather interesting position: deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the fourth convocation. At the age of 50, he managed to achieve a lot.
Celebrity family
Successes during military service
Since 1984, Suleiman Abusaidovich served for two years as a rocket scientist in the strategic forces. He became a senior sergeant and was the head of the Strategic Missile Forces crew. This man was not lazy - he went in for sports in the army. As a result, he won and became a real champion. This applies to kettlebell lifting.
Kerimov returned from the army in 1986. After that, he transferred to the Faculty of Economics of the University of Dagestan.
This man's life is full of ups and downs. But he never gave up. All the time I tried to move only forward, upward, towards the intended goal. This is what every person should do.
Suleiman Kerimov is one of the richest people in RussiaAfter all, having given up our hands, we will go to the bottom - does anyone need this?
This man managed to work at the plant - until 1995, he went from an ordinary economist to an assistant to the general director dealing with economic issues.
Already in 1995, Suleiman became deputy general director. It was the well-known company Soyuz-finance. A couple of years later, he became a research fellow at the International Institute of Corporations, and then vice president of a non-profit organization. This man began to earn his initial capital in the 90s. Using the example of this hero, you can make sure that everyone can achieve their goal. The main thing is to believe that everything will work out, to strive to achieve what you want. Stock up on willpower and patience, and you will definitely succeed - you can rest assured.
Read also: The head of the DPR presented the first family in Ilovaisk with the keys to a house built to replace one destroyed in battle. Yatsenyuk’s daughter was mistaken for a boy at a vocal competition. In the Chernihiv region, a car was burned to the family of an ATO hero - “retribution” for “feats” in the Donbass? About the war and the lost family Interview with a captured lieutenant colonel, the pilot of the SU-25 plane shot down over Marinovka (video) Sister of centurion Parasyuk - “We will organize such a Maidan as we never dreamed of: we will not come with wooden bats”Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich is a Russian businessman, politician, and philanthropist.
Early years.
Education, service
Suleiman Kerimov, Lezgin by nationality, was born in Derbent on March 12, 1966. His father was engaged in legal activities and worked in the criminal investigation department. Mother was an accountant. In addition to Suleiman, the family also raised his brother (who became a doctor) and sister (who became a teacher of Russian language and literature).
As a teenager and young adult, Suleiman was interested in sports and mathematics. He practiced judo and kettlebell lifting and participated in math olympiads. He has repeatedly won prizes in sports and scientific competitions.
In 1983, Kerimov graduated from high school with honors and entered the Dagestan Polytechnic Institute at the Faculty of Construction. A year later, Kerimov was drafted into the army. Until 1986, Suleiman served in the Strategic Missile Forces. He held the rank of senior sergeant and served as crew chief. Returning from the army, Kerimov was reinstated at the institute, but transferred to another faculty - economics. During his studies, he was involved in social activities - he was deputy chairman of the university trade union committee. In 1989 he graduated from the university.
Entrepreneurial activity
Immediately after defending his diploma, Suleiman Kerimov, with the help of his newly-minted father-in-law, chairman of the Dagestan Council of Trade Unions, got a job as an economist at the Eltav plant. By 1995, Kerimov took the post of assistant general director for economic affairs.
In 1993, Suleiman Abusaidovich was sent to work in Moscow, where partners of the Eltav plant opened the Fedprombank bank. Very soon Kerimov became the controlling owner of the bank, and in 1995 he took the position of head of the trade and financial company Soyuz-Finance.
In the spring of 1997, Suleiman Kerimov became a research fellow at the International Institute of Corporations in Moscow. Two years later he became vice president of this enterprise.
In the late 1990s, Suleiman Kerimov began to actively engage in business. At the end of 1999, he bought shares in the Nafta-Moscow oil company. The company existed until 2009, after which it was liquidated. While working at Nafta, Suleiman received a huge profit.
In 2001, Kerimov became the owner of the Nosta steel mill (today Ural Steel), the insurance company Ingosstrakh and Avtobank. In 2005, through the joint efforts of Suleiman Abusaidovich and the Moscow City Hall, the telecommunications company Mosteleset appeared.
Kerimov also owned shares in the developer PIK, the companies Polyus Gold, Uralkali and others, was involved in the restoration of the Moscow Hotel, invested in foreign projects and companies, and financed the Anzhi football club.
In the 2000s, Kerimov took over the Razvitie construction holding, and a few months later sold it, earning about $200 million.
Policy
From 1999 to 2007, Suleiman Kerimov was a State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party. For several years he was deputy chairman of the committee on physical culture, sports and youth affairs. In 2008, Kerimov joined the Federation Council of Russia, the upper house of the Federal Assembly, and became a representative of Dagestan.
For some time, Kerimov was a deputy in the People's Assembly of Dagestan. In early autumn 2016, Suleiman Abusaidovich was re-elected as a senator from Dagestan in the Federation Council.
Car accident
On November 26, 2006, Suleiman Kerimov had an accident in Nice. The businessman was driving his Ferrari Enzo, and he was accompanied, by the way, by Tina Kandelaki. Suleiman was seriously injured and received severe burns. After that incident, Kerimov began wearing flesh-colored gloves to hide his mangled hands from prying eyes.
Charity
Suleiman Kerimov is a famous philanthropist. In 2007, he founded the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation, whose main activity is to provide financial and other support to initiatives aimed at improving the lives of young people around the world. The Foundation is engaged in promoting projects to improve the situation in the areas of healthcare, sports, and culture. In addition, the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation helps those in need and works closely with many Russian and foreign charitable organizations.
Since 2006, Suleiman Kerimov has been the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Wrestling Federation. The businessman is also a member of the board of trustees of the Sirius educational center for gifted children in Sochi and Sirius-Altair in Makhachkala.
After the accident in 2006, Suleiman donated one million euros to the Pinocchio Foundation, which works with children affected by burns.
P.S. At one time, Suleiman Kerimov, among many regions of Dagestan, provided charitable assistance to the Rutulsky district. In particular, in our area, comfortable small mosques were built on the territory of sacred places so that travelers on the road would have a place to pray. He also provided funding for the Hajj for the residents of our Rutul district for several years in a row, for which the entire jamaat of the multinational Rutul district expresses its gratitude to him!
A couple of years ago, in an interview with ND, the director of the Dagagropromproekt Institute, Nazim Khanbalaev, speaking about the cost of mistakes and miscalculations in the design of urban areas, spoke about a certain Grigoriev, who many years ago headed the Daggiprovodkhoz design institute. This comrade, when preparing the project for the reconstruction of the KOR, decided to save three million rubles and did not include in it the work on improving the territory of the water protection zone of the canal. And although Grigoriev was fired from his job for this miscalculation, the consequences of his mistake as a designer still reverberate today. Thanks to him, today we have a vulnerable, constantly polluted KOR, which has turned into a branch of the city garbage dump.
For many years, Makhachkala was built up without a master plan, solely at the whim of our mayors. At the same time, the requirements for the quality of construction were regularly reduced, and as a result, the city was handed over to Maalin developers - specialists in the construction of life-threatening, low-quality, but at the same time very cheap housing. I have written more than once about the direct consequences of such an “urban planning policy,” so I will not repeat myself. I’ll tell you only about one indirect thing.
This week, the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation calculated the average market value of a square meter of housing in the regions for the third quarter of 2018. For Dagestan, this figure has not changed, remaining at the same level - 29 thousand 665 rubles.
This indicator is calculated as follows: builders submit reports to the Statistical Office indicating the cost per square meter of housing in the houses they have built. It is clear that cheap Maalin housing has greatly adjusted this indicator. So much so that former Minister of Construction Ibrahim Kazibekov, at a meeting with builders, tearfully asked developers to urgently redo the reports, maximizing the cost of the “square”. They say that he made the same request to the employees of the Statistical Office, who had cut their teeth on compiling agricultural reports. As a result, through joint efforts we came up with difficulty at 29,665 rubles.
Kazibekov’s concern is easily explained. After all, all federal tranches in the field of construction are calculated using this indicator, and primarily funds for the construction of houses as part of the program for relocating citizens from dilapidated and dilapidated housing.
Senator Suleiman Kerimov: personal life - what is known? Wife, children, their photos?The cheaper the square footage, the less money the republic will receive.
The real cost of building a reliable frame in Dagestan today is estimated at approximately 28-29 thousand rubles per square meter. The most budget “finishing” will cost another 6-7 thousand rubles. It turns out that even at the stage of financing in Dagestan, the same finishing money was stolen from displaced people from dilapidated and dilapidated housing (after all, housing must be delivered “turnkey”).
And if we take into account the appetites of our officials and developers who won the tender, for a “square”, as the experience of constructing the “poor fellows’ quarter” at the Hippodrome shows, less than 20 thousand rubles remain. And it turns out that the Maalin residents not only disfigured the city, but also set new construction standards for many years to come. Such are the things.
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Home for Guli, Amina and SaidNew evidence has been discovered of the involvement of Russian businessman Suleiman Kerimov in villas on the Cote d'Azur in France.
At the end of November, Russian senator and billionaire Suleiman Kerimov was detained in France. He is suspected of fraud in the purchase of luxury villas, from which he could have failed to pay “tens of millions of euros” in taxes. Kerimov himself denies that he owns any real estate on the Cote d'Azur. However, statements by the official owner of the property indicate that the houses are managed by a holding company, which in the 2000s was the focus of the Russian businessman’s business. In addition, the Dozhd TV channel discovered in the architectural plans of one of the French residences a mention of three possible inhabitants of the villa.
Russian senator Suleiman Kerimov was detained at Nice airport on November 20. Two days later, the billionaire ($6.3 billion, according to Forbes) was taken to court and charged with tax evasion and money laundering, Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Prêtre said. Kerimov’s passport was eventually taken away and he was released on bail of 5 million euros. In addition, the senator must fulfill a number of conditions. “Remain on the territory of the Alpes-Maritimes department, come to the police several times a week and not come into contact with certain persons, the list of whom I cannot tell you,” the prosecutor listed.
According to a Reuters source, Kerimov was charged with laundering money hidden during tax evasion. The senator is accused of purchasing several residences on the Cote d'Azur through shell companies, thanks to which he allegedly saved on taxes. The total damage could amount to “tens of millions of euros,” Le Temps wrote, citing AFP, which cited a source close to the investigation.
How they found Kerimov
The local publication Nice-Matin connects Kerimov’s arrest with the searches at the Hier villa that took place in February this year. The publication wrote that then the police seized the draper's invoice for 580 thousand euros, as well as family photographs and documents that may indicate that the villa actually belongs to Kerimov. French authorities began investigating in 2014 when they were tracking a lawyer linked to Kerimov suspected of fraud and money laundering. From his wiretapping it followed that the cost of the villa could be 127 million euros, and the purchase price was deliberately lowered to reduce taxes.
Suleiman Kerimov - biography, information, personal life61 million euros could have been transferred to the seller’s Swiss bank account, Nice-Matin wrote, citing the case materials.
According to documents, the owner of the villa is Swiss businessman Alexander Studhalter. He confirmed that he bought it in 2008 for 35 million euros. “Suleiman Kerimov, with whom I have also had business and personal relationships for many years, is neither the owner nor the economic beneficiary of Villa Hier,” Studhalter responded.
French authorities suspect that through a “labyrinth” of offshore companies, French banks and Luxembourg companies, the villa actually belongs to Kerimov, Nice-Matin wrote, citing investigative documents. The senator himself, through a representative, rejected these accusations, emphasizing that all of Kerimov’s property was indicated in his declaration. In 2016, it listed two apartments in Russia, with an area of 37 and 53 square meters.
Four villas in the "Billionaires' Bay"
The area in the south of Cape Antibes, where Villa Hier is located, is called “Billionaires’ Bay” by locals. The most expensive residences are located here, some of which belong to Russian oligarchs and businessmen from the Middle East, real estate agent Olivier Maugery-Pont told The Telegraph. Roman Abramovich, Andrei Melnichenko and Minister for North Caucasus Affairs Lev Kuznetsov, who indicates a plot in France in his declaration, live in the neighboring villas. Realtors call Kerimov “the Russian Gatsby” because of the parties he hosted here. In 2005, at Cape Antibes, a search was carried out at the residence of Boris Berezovsky. Forbes wrote in 2015 that one of the neighboring villas belonged to Kerimov.
According to Nice-Matin, French authorities suspect that the senator owns four villas: Hier, Medy Roc, Florella and Lexa. Their total area is more than 90 thousand square meters. One of the most famous villas, Medy Roc, is included in the French list of cultural heritage sites. After a change of ownership in 2008, a separate exhibition was put together in New York from the interior items removed from it.
In the neighboring Villa Hier, where the searches took place in February this year, director Frank Oz filmed the film “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” in 1988. All four villas are located next to each other and, according to documents, belong to the Swiss entrepreneur Alexander Studhalter.
Familiar name
As follows from the French registry, the Hier villa, where the searches took place, is registered to the company VH Antibes SAS registered in the name of a Swiss entrepreneur. The Swiss's name is also included in the founding documents of the nearby villas Medy Roc, Florella and Lexa.
As follows from Studhalter’s words, he manages the villas through the Swiss holding company Swiru. Studhalter is the sole beneficiary of the Swiru holding and “the property that he manages through subsidiaries,” including villas, the businessman said.
The name of this company appeared in publications about Kerimov’s business in the 2000s. Since 2008, the Swiss has also headed Kerimov’s charitable foundation, the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation, which has managed the senator’s assets since 2013, including through a complex network of offshore companies in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Cyprus and the USA. The fact that the villas in the “bay of billionaires” and the Kerimov foundation are managed by the same person is evidenced by Studhalter’s signatures on the company documents:
Studhalter said that he came to the Russian market back in the 90s, and then, having created the Swiru holding (from two words SWIss and RUssian), he began investing in Gazprom, Nafta Moscow OJSC, Vnukovo Airlines and Sberbank. All these assets were in one way or another connected with Kerimov: in 1997-1998 he owned Vnukovo Airlines, in 1999 he acquired the oil trader Nafta-Moscow, and in the period from 2003 to 2008 he owned 4.24% of the shares Gazprom and 5.6% of Sberbank.
In 2005, Kommersant wrote, citing sources, that “Kerimov’s business is confined to the Swiru holding.” In 2012, both Kommersant and Forbes, also citing sources, claimed that the entrepreneur’s personal assets were registered in this holding. “Mansions in France and England, two yachts, several planes, perhaps some money in the accounts,” Forbes said. At that time, Studhalter was already listed as the owner of villas on the Cote d'Azur.
Even more information about Kerimov’s connection with Studhalter and Swiru became known after the publication of the “Panama” and “Paradise Papers” in 2016 and 2017. From these documents it followed that Swiru was the founder of the Bermudian company Altitude 41, of which Kerimov was a co-owner. The senator reported in his declaration in 2011 that he owns 5% of the Altitude company in Bermuda.
Swiru is also connected with Russia by another offshore company with a similar name - Altitude X3 Ltd, the shareholder of which was a Swiss holding. As it became known after the publication of the Panama Archives, this company owned the plane that, as Alexey Navalny claimed in his investigation, Igor Shuvalov and his wife use. Another owner of the offshore was Nariman Gadzhiev, the namesake of the ex-Minister of Press and Information of Dagestan, whom Forbes calls a relative of Kerimov.
Home for Guli, Amina and Said
In 2009, the London design bureau MMM architects was approached by a “client” with a request to create a design for his residence in Antibes. We were talking about Villa Medy Roc. The bureau published the proposed design on its website, along with handwritten notes. Among them are the signatures “Gulas bedroom” (Guli’s room), “Eminas bedroom” (Emina’s room) and “entrance to Saids” (entrance to Said). Kerimov has three children: daughters Gulnara and Amina and son Said. The description of the villa states that the proposal to develop the design came while working on a London project for the same client. Forbes wrote in 2012 that Kerimov also has property in London.
MMM architects did not answer Dozhd’s written question about who the customer was.
Work on this and the neighboring villa in 2010 was also carried out by the architectural bureau CAP Architecture group. In the company’s portfolio, the Medy Roc villa garden project is simply labeled “oligarch.” The following year, the bureau published another project, this time at Villa Florella, the description says that this is the territory of Medy Roc.
Kerimov's representative Alexey Krasovsky did not respond to Dozhd's emailed questions.
In total, four people are involved in the Kerimov case: in addition to the Russian senator and Studhalter, charges were brought against Philippe Borghetti and French tax lawyer Philippe Chiaverini, Le Temps wrote, citing the lawyer of one of them. If Kerimov’s guilt is proven, he faces up to 10 years in prison, Forbes writes.
Ordinary Russian oligarchs. A story of non-trivial success: Suleiman Kerimov
Articles on management - Popular management - Ordinary Russian oligarchs. A story of non-trivial success: Suleiman Kerimov
“You love money, but I have a lot of it, and I part with it easily”
Suleiman Kerimov (according to his entourage)Suleiman Kerimov became, as many experts believe, the true cause of the “potassium war” between Belarus and Russia; it was because of Kerimov that the decision was allegedly made to organize the United Football Championship (UCF) at all costs, which we will talk about separately. . And also - a scandalous accident in a luxury supercar with Tina Kandelaki, fifteen billion (at least) dollars of personal assets at the peak of her business career and many, many, and even too many other aspects. The success story of this man is quite worthy of attention.
StartSuleiman Abusaidovich Kerimov was born on March 12, 1966 in a far from simple family in Derbent (Dagestan): his mother held a very significant position in Sberbank, and his father was an employee of the criminal investigation department. In the North Caucasus, a child with such parents was automatically guaranteed a secure life, both then and today.
Suleiman was a sporty and intelligent child: he was involved in weightlifting, wrestling, and had obvious inclinations in the exact sciences. Admission to the Polytechnic Institute (not in Moscow - in Dagestan) after school ended a year later with conscription into the army and service in the Missile Forces and, by the way, their elite unit. After the army, Kerimov resumes his studies, but is transferred to the Faculty of Economics, where he meets his future wife Feruza. Feruza’s father was a match for Suleiman’s own parents: a prominent party worker who helped his son-in-law take the position of economist at the prestigious Dagestan enterprise Eltav. The plant produced products from a category of great shortage - electronic equipment. In 1993, this successful enterprise needed its own bank. This was created and received the name “Federal Industrial Bank” (Fedbank), its representative was sent to Moscow. The representative was none other than Suleiman Kerimov.
Moscow. Great startAfter a couple of years of Moscow life, Suleiman Abusaidovich became the general director of the Soyuz-Finance company. In 1998, the businessman invested fifty million dollars in acquiring a controlling stake in the future Nafta-Moscow holding. After another 2 years, cooperation with Roman Abramovich and Oleg Deripaska allows Kerimov to receive part of the profits from companies such as Ingosstrakh, Avtobank, Nosta and others - no less successful. Stop! Here we need to analyze what is happening in much more detail.
FedprombankAs we remember, Suleiman Kerimov was in Moscow a representative of Fedprombank, created for the Eltav plant. His “countrymen” helped the Dagestan bank extremely actively, as a result of which the financial institution quickly grew and developed. And Kerimov actively bought his shares. At the same time, the charismatic businessman acquired useful connections in the Russian capital, tried to seek happiness in large and new projects, and even took part in the sale of Vnukovo Airlines. True, the Accounts Chamber had many uncomfortable questions about the deal, but Suleiman Abusaidovich avoided trouble.
Over the course of “a couple of years,” the purchase of shares in an ever-growing bank gave excellent growth to the initial capital of the future billionaire.
Oil and Naphtha. Nafta-MoscowThe end of the 90s in Russia was the era of a great war for resources. At that time, Suleiman Kerimov did not yet have sufficient “muscles” in business for large wars, so he concentrated his efforts on a relatively “small” object by the standards of billionaires - the Varieganneft company, which, of course, dealt with oil. Having won the property, Kerimov did what he would do in the future with all captured assets: he sold it (in this particular case, to Mikhail Gurtsiev).
And then there was the Nafta company. Suleiman Abusaidovich got this once powerful flagship of the business “on the cheap”: for $50 million in 1998. The businessman acted in the style of Sam Zell's "Bone Dancer", taking advantage of other people's problems.
Remark: Nafta was initially headed by CEO Anatoly Kolotilin. His son worked at the Unibest bank, through which Kolotilin thought it was profitable for his family to circulate money. But - 1998, crisis. Unibest collapsed, and Nafta lost $400 million of its funds because of this and still remained $100 million in debt to Surgutneft. In a word, Nafta would be happy to sell itself to anyone, just to resolve the issue of its debts.
Suleiman Abusaidovich did not like trading oil. The assets of the company, purchased for 50 million, were quickly sold by Kerimov for $400 million. And then a new campaign for money began.
Raiding and takeovers: find the differences if you have enough healthNow this is called a “hostile takeover”, no one goes to the law enforcement agencies to complain about anything, silence remains. But behind such a businesslike name were hidden boys with bats and crowbars, decisions of courts in very distant regions on the appointment of new boards of directors, criminal cases against intractable owners and things that are generally not customary to talk about out loud.
year 2001. Avtobank was lucky with the assets of dozens of promising enterprises, including an entire iron and steel plant, Ingosstrakh, Ingosstrakh-Soyuz, etc. I was unlucky with something else: the attention of the three main sharks of that time: Roman Abramovich, Oleg Deripaska and, of course, Suleiman Kerimov. The latter eventually won, and the owner of Avtobank, Andrei Andreev, according to him, received nothing except the prefix “ex” to the status of the owner.
In 2005, Kerimov already became the owner of billions of dollars, but still begins the hunt for another object: Mosmontazhspetsstroy, Glavmosstroy, Mospromstroy - all three corporations were part of the Razvitie SEC, whose office was located a couple of hundred meters from the Kremlin . But cute boys with heavy bats and crowbars came to visit this office, while Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov demonstrably demonstrated: “Come on, it’s a simple economic dispute that has nothing to do with us.” True, it was Luzhkov himself who asked Suleiman to “sort out a little” with the presumptuous leadership of Development, who loved forceful methods. Kerimov “figured it out,” very quickly reselling the extracted object for $80-85 million.
Forbes once wrote that the businessman’s acquaintances often mentioned one ethnic trait of Suleiman Abusaidovich: he certainly strove to take what was “bad,” and he needed forceful actions psychologically. Hot Dagestan mentality of a calm, pretty businessman.
Investing in RussianIf Kerimov had relied on “takeovers” alone, he would not have been the Kerimov he is.
Do you remember how it all began in Moscow? Connections and investments in your own bank. And also my mother, who worked at Sberbank. It was along this line that Suleiman Abusaidovich began to build an interesting game.
It’s one thing to buy shares in Fedprombank, which has enough of its own capital, but it’s another thing to buy “bundles” of shares in Gazprom and Sberbank of Russia. From 2004 to 2006, the cost of the first increased by 4 times, and the second - by all 12, and the businessman during this period (or rather, at the beginning) already managed to buy 4.25% and 5.26% of their shares, respectively. How? Very simple. He borrowed money and bought shares with it. And he left as collateral... Purchased shares. The shares rose in price, the amount of collateral increased, the opportunities grew - and so on in a circle.
And who borrowed, you ask. Well, first VEB, then “some other” banks. But the bet was made on Sberbank. It was so simple: you take money from Sberbank, buy its shares, leave them as collateral - and again buy shares from it. All risks go to Sberbank, all profits... That's right.
Filaret Galchev and Vadim Moshkovich worked with Sberbank according to a similar scheme, but it was to Kerimov that this bank paid real curtsies. For example, Sberbank does not consider it possible to issue more than 25% of its capital to one lender.
Suleiman Kerimov...“Nafta” approached the limit and, when it seemed that it was absolutely impossible to take out new loans, the rule worked: if it is impossible, but it is strongly necessary, then it is possible. Since 2005, the company ZAO New Project took out loans instead of Nafta-Moscow, and although the owner was the same, the bank did not notice this. Why? Firstly, business in Russian allows this, and secondly, re-read the words in the epigraph again.
In 2007, it became clear that Sberbank of Russia was coming under the control of German Gref. Kerimov repays loans (which eliminated the awkward questions “who sanctioned?”, “who will be responsible?”, etc.) for 4 billion dollars and leaves himself a huge profit.
In addition, there is another state bank that is ready to lend to a dear client with all generosity - VTB. Maybe Kerimov’s connections at that moment were already extremely powerful, or maybe it was just an accident and VTB credited all the businessman’s ideas without a second thought and “just like that.”
Will foreign countries help us?Indeed, it’s somehow frivolous: everything is Russia and Russia. But what about the expansion of capital to the West? In fact, the question was not the desire of Kerimov himself: he wanted, he believed that “there will be more there.” By 2006, his business was going so well that he could take on the world. But... “There” were not particularly in a hurry to cooperate with the oligarch “from the dashing Russian 90s.”
And here we must certainly introduce a new character: Allen Wine was not just a top manager, but a director of the Russian branch of Merrill Lynch. Later he met Kerimov, they struck up a friendship, and over time, a partnership. Wine leaves Merrill Lynch and heads one of the oligarch’s structures, the Millennium Group. Vine became Kerimov’s guide to the West. He will be his translator and the “key” to enter those offices in which the young and rich Dagestani was not particularly wanted to be seen before.
The task was simple: Morgan Stanley was the first to decide to check the “purity” of Kerimov’s assets. This decision of the bank was partly due to the fact that Wine and the head of MS, John Mack, were old friends, and partly due to the natural charisma of the oligarch. In addition, no one dug very hard, and it was impossible to find real buyers for a number of transactions. After the first “due diligence”, 12 more banks in Europe and the USA began to cooperate with Suleiman Abusaidovich.
At this time, a lover of fast driving and thrilling experiences gets into a serious accident together with Tina Kandelaki. A businessman receives severe burns, he is treated in the best clinics in the world, he maintains the business rhythm against all odds and partly thanks to a special silicone suit.
From 2007 to 2008, Western bankers helped the oligarch sell off assets in Russia, buying assets abroad. 26 billion were received, 20 billion went to debts and other expenses, 6 billion went “as change.”
The package of new acquisitions by Suleiman Kerimov looked like an exhibition: there were shares of almost all structures with large assets and a big name. Deutsche Bank, British Petroleumm, Royal Bank of Scotland, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, E.On, Deutsche Telekom, Barclays, Boeing, Credit Suisse, Fortis and more, more, more...
Then it was a big game, Kerimov became the largest private shareholder in the history of Morgan Stanley itself, he began to play a significant role in voting in the key concerns of the planet. And then there was ruin and revival, a conflict between Moscow and Minsk due to the actions of a businessman and the epic with Anzhi Makhachkala, the story of the OC and other scandals. No one has written about much of what we will tell before, but this will be in the next article.