How Putin Seized the Oligarchs' Billions | Martin Sixsmith

Aug 4, 2026 | “By the end of the 1990s, the oligarchs were essentially running the government.”

Former Russia correspondent at the BBC and author of 'Suing the Kremlin: The Battle for Putin’s Billions' Martin Sixsmith reveals the process undertaken by Vladimir Putin to retrieve money and power from Russia’s oligarchs.

How London Became the Dirty Money Capital of the World | FT Film

Apr 22, 2022 • Russian oligarchs and companies have been investing in London for two decades, encouraged by British politicians of all stripes, but critics say the 'London laundromat' cleans dirty money from Russia and across the globe. The FT examines why it took Russia's invasion of Ukraine to put the issue in the spotlight and whether new sanctions and measures to tackle the problem go far enough

German Intelligence Report: Aid to Cyprus Could Benefit Russian Oligarchs
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Cyprus could soon seek aid from the European Union's bailout fund. But according to a secret report by Germany's BND intelligence service, the aid might mainly benefit Russian oligarchs who have parked illegal money in bank accounts in Cyprus, SPIEGEL has learned. Russian deposits there total $26 billion.

The German foreign intelligence agency, the BND, has written a report suggesting that the European Union aid that may soon be paid to Cyprus could mainly benefit Russians who have deposited illegal income in accounts on the Eastern Mediterranean island, SPIEGEL has learned.

In a confidential report, the BND said Russians have deposited $26 billion (€20.25 billion) in Cyprus banks, an amount greater than the island's annual gross domestic product. These deposits will be guaranteed if European bailout money is paid to shore up the island's banks. The BND also accused Cyprus of still providing opportunities for money laundering. » | Monday, November 05, 2012

Battle of the Oligarchs as Roman Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky Appear at High Court
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Roman Abramovich forced fellow oligarch Boris Berozovsky [sic] to sell him billions of pounds of shares cheaply by threatening that Vladimir Putin would seize his assets if he did not comply, a court heard.

It is claimed Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea Football Club, conned his former friend and mentor out of more than £2 billion.

The case saw two of Britain’s richest men go head to head as they made allegations about Kremlin intrigue and protection rackets in a High Court case worth £3.5bn.

It is thought special security measures have included sweeping the court for bombs and ensuring the building is sniper-proof.

In one of the only times the pair have come face to face in more than ten years after they fell out following a meeting the pair sat at opposite ends of a court room in London, dressed in expensive suits and surrounded by their entourage and dozens of highly-paid lawyers.

Berezovsky claims that he was threatened at a meeting in his mansion in Cap d’Antibe[s] in the south of France and forced to sell his shares in Sibneft, a Russian oil and gas conglomerate the two men had created with a third partner.

Abramovich is said to have vowed to get Putin, then the president and now the prime minister of Russia, to reclaim Berezovsky’s assets and to prevent the release of one his friends from jail.

It was claimed the Chelsea owner was “a man to whom wealth and influence mattered more than friendship and loyalty,” said Laurence Rabinowitz QC representing Berezovsky. » | Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | Monday, October 03, 2011

Just End It All, Russian Oligarch Tells Eurocrats

REUTERS: European leaders grappling with the euro zone debt crisis have an unsolvable problem that will lead to economic decline and a loss of manufacturing power to rivals, one of Russia's most powerful businessmen said on Tuesday.

"If I was a politician in Europe, I would commit suicide," said Vladimir Potanin, who owns a 30-percent stake in Norilsk Nickel (GMKN.MM), the world's largest nickel and palladium producer.

"There is really such a big difference between the interests of different countries, I simply do not understand how you can match the interests ofGermany and Greece," said Potanin, who is ranked by Forbes as Russia's fourth richest man with a fortune of $17.8 billion. » | Andrew Callus | Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Jane Merriman | Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Roman Abramovich Declares Assets
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch, has declared his assets for the first time in more than a decade, disclosing that he has 16 properties, seven cars, 22 bank accounts, six companies, and one football club.

The 44-year-old businessman and owner of Chelsea Football Club made the declaration as part of a campaign to run for re-election as a local MP in Chukotka, a remote region in Russia's far east which he used to run on the Kremlin's behalf.

The disclosure is part of President Dmitry Medvedev's anti-corruption drive as he pushes all politicians to declare their assets.

Mr Abramovich's declaration listed seven properties in Britain, two in the United States, three in France, and four in Russia.

They are known to include two houses in Lowndes Square, Belgravia, which are together estimated to be worth up to £150 million; a house in the South of France once used by Edward VIII and Wallace Simpson which he is thought to have spent £30 million; his main Moscow residence, two properties in Aspen, Colorado together worth £30 million, and a luxurious residence in the Caribbean worth £56 million.

The publicity-shy tycoon also disclosed that he owned seven cars, mostly a mixture of high-end Mercedes and BMWs that would altogether cost an estimated £650,000 to buy new. >>> Andrew Osborn, Moscow | Thursday, February 17, 2011

Related >>>

Inside a Russian Billionaire's $300 Million Yacht

Can Oligarchs Survive Russia's Slump?
Mikhail Prokhorov has done better than others - but still lost billions. Photo courtesy of the BBC
BBC: Getting to talk to Russian billionaires is never easy. They are notoriously camera-shy, and with good reason.

In Russia, the "oligarchs", as they are generally known, are not very popular. Most ordinary Russians believe that their vast fortunes were stolen during the corrupt privatisations of the 1990s.

So news that the oligarchs are in trouble has been met by many here with a degree of Schadenfreude.

It is - if you like - the story of the incredible shrinking billionaires.

According to Forbes Magazine, a year ago Moscow was home to 74 of them - more than any other city in the world.

Now there are only 27 left. Even those that survive have seen their fortunes slashed.

So imagine my surprise when not one, but two of them, invited me round for a chat.

And they were not just any old second-rate billionaires - one was Russia's richest man, Mikhail Prokhorov.

To put it mildly, Mr Prokhorov is an impressive figure. He stands 2.03m (6ft 8in) in his socks. He is just 43 years old and, even after losing half his fortune, he is still worth close to $10bn (£6.1bn).

Sadly, Mr Prokhorov did not invite me to his country estate, or for a quick spin in his $60m jet.

Instead, it was 20 minutes over coffee in the business-class lounge of a grimy provincial airport. >>> By Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, BBC News, Moscow | Tuesday, June 02, 2009