Suleiman Kerimov is one of the “old-timers” of the domestic Forbes rating. For many years he has been not only one of the richest businessmen in Russia, but also the richest member of the Upper House of the Russian Federation Parliament, in which he has represented his native republic of Dagestan for many years. Suleiman Kerimov is not only a major businessman and successful investor, but also an influential political and government figure with many years of experience and experience.
- Full name: Kerimov Suleiman Abusaidovich
- Date of birth: March 12, 1966
- Education: Dagestan State University, Faculty of Economics (graduated in 1989)
- Start of business: 1993
- Type of activity at start: Fedprombank bank
- Current activity: member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Dagestan
- Current net worth (2017): $6.3 billion
Suleiman Kerimov enjoys well-deserved authority in his native Dagestan, which he has represented in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation for many years. At the same time, he managed to build his own business empire, which included large assets in Russia and abroad. Serious life shocks, such as a terrible car accident and the loss of almost his entire fortune in the 2008 crisis, did not break this strong man. He not only returned to big business, but also regained his leading position in the ranking of the country's richest businessmen.
Dagestan is the small homeland of the Russian oligarchSuleiman, a Lezgin by nationality, was born on March 12, 1966 in sunny Derbent, into an intelligent family of a lawyer and accountant. A short biography of Suleiman Kerimov begins with a story similar to many destinies of that time.
The future billionaire spent his Soviet childhood and youth in his native Caucasus. He graduated from school with honors, gave his military duty to his homeland, served in the army, and graduated from the Faculty of Economics of Dagestan State University in 1989.
The young man was seriously interested in weightlifting and wrestling and achieved notable success in this field. The career of the young economist also began quite successfully.
Figure 1. Mathematics and sports are Kerimov’s childhood hobbies.
Source: uznayvse.ru
In the Caucasus, tribal and clan support is traditionally strong. Thanks to a successful marriage and the patronage of his influential father-in-law, Kerimov began his career at the Eltav plant, which produces electronic equipment.
The purposeful young man quickly rose through the ranks from economist to assistant general director. In 1993, Suleiman Kerimov was sent to represent the interests of shareholders in the newly established Fedprombank. Kerimov moved to Moscow. From that moment on, a new round began in the biography of Suleiman Kerimov, his ascent to the financial and political Olympus.
By the way, Suleiman Kerimov’s older brother and sister are representatives of the classic professions of doctor and teacher and have never had anything to do with big business.
Features of business and sources of personal wealthSoon Kerimov became the head of Fedprombank, and then headed the Soyuz-Finance company. He gained invaluable experience dealing with operations in financial markets, as well as lending to enterprises in leading industrial sectors experiencing financial difficulties during the crisis.
After overcoming economic problems with the help of additional financing, the enterprises returned the loans to the bank with a large marginal return for the lending institution and for Kerimov personally. Probably, it was at this time that an equally successful investor awakened in an intelligent and successful economist.
The basis of Kerimov’s business was transactions for the acquisition of stakes in enterprises of the most promising and profitable industries, and his personal fortune grew through successful purchase and sale transactions of various assets.
The oligarch’s first and main acquisition was the Nafta-Moscow company, which still remains Kerimov’s main business structure. He quickly increased his share in the company to 100% and became its sole owner. Initially, Nafta-Moscow was engaged in oil transportation, but soon reduced this activity to a minimum and turned into a full-fledged investment company.
The main features inherent in the business of Suleiman Kerimov: commitment to first-tier assets (oil, gold mining, telecommunications and development), creation of profitable enterprises and the ability to resolve business issues with government agencies.
Figure 2. Kerimov always managed to resolve issues with banks (pictured with VTB President Andrei Kostin).
Source: new.visualrian.ru
Kerimov’s first major income came from transactions involving the purchase of shares in Gazprom and Sberbank using loan money specially raised for this purpose. The favorable situation in the financial market made it possible to quickly repay loans and remove large margins from transactions.
| 1 "Polymetal". A controlling stake was acquired in 2005, and an IPO was held on the London Stock Exchange in 2007 in the amount of $2.44 billion. | In 2008, 70% (the entire stake) of shares was sold to Alexander Nesis (IST Group), Alexander Mamut and Peter Kellner (PPF) |
| 2 City of millionaires “Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye” - development project (2003-2008) | The project was sold to Mikhail Shishkhanov (Bin Bank) |
| 3 The five-star Four Seasons Hotel was created in 2009 on the basis of the Moscow Hotel | In 2015, the hotel was sold to Belarusian entrepreneurs Khotin |
| 4 Mosteleseti was created in 2005, and the National Telecommunications holding was created in 2007. | In 2008, the asset was sold to Yuri Kovalchuk for $1.5 billion |
| 5 PIK Group of Companies is the largest developer in Russia; in 2009, almost 40% of the shares were acquired. At the time of purchase, the group’s capitalization was $279 million, by 2013 - $1.42 billion | In 2013, a stake in shares was sold to Alexander Mamut and Sergei Gordeev |
| 6 Uralkali is the world's largest producer of potash fertilizers, acquired in 2010 | The company's shares were sold in 2013 to Mikhail Prokhorov and Dmitry Mazepin |
Suleiman Kerimov has long been firmly among the richest businessmen in the country, although the size of his fortune periodically underwent significant fluctuations.
Source: Forbes
So, in 2008, a real disaster happened in the oligarch’s financial empire. But it was preceded by an even more terrible event that happened in sunny France.
Two disasters: life before and afterThis news instantly spread throughout the world. In 2006, a terrible accident occurred in Nice. An elite Ferrari car crashed into a tree at high speed. Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov was driving. The collision was so strong that the car could not be restored after the accident.
Figure 3. The Ferrari was sent to the scrapyard after the accident.
Source: kpcdn.net
The oligarch’s life was saved by the impeccable security system of the expensive foreign car. But, unfortunately, a fire broke out in the cabin and the fire instantly spread to the driver. Eyewitnesses said that Kerimov was literally engulfed in flames when he got out of the car and tried to put out the flames on his own. Suleiman Abusaidovich was urgently taken to the clinic. He was saved. But there was a long treatment and recovery ahead. They say that the consequences of the accident still affect the oligarch’s health.
Reference. Kerimov’s companion on that fateful trip was the famous Russian TV personality Tina Kandelaki, who surprisingly was practically unharmed.
Despite the terrible consequences of the terrible accident, Suleiman Kerimov did not let go of managing his business empire for a minute. By that time, he had transferred almost all of his assets abroad and was making grandiose plans to expand investments in foreign companies. Not only built, but also actively implemented.
Although there is practically no open information on the amount of money he placed at that time, one can imagine the scale of the operation if Kerimov was named the largest private investor in Morgan Stanley.
The oligarch believed so much in the success of his endeavors that, despite the alarming news from the world's largest exchanges and the steady decline in stock prices, he continued to buy securities of large enterprises. But this time, Kerimov’s impeccable business sense failed him. The global financial market collapsed, burying about 20 billion dollars of Kerimov under the ruins.
Many experts even assumed the end of the success story of Suleiman Kerimov after such losses. But it was not for nothing that Suleiman Abusaidovich earned the reputation of a strong and smart player. Big business carries with it big risks. And to be able to survive a loss or collapse with dignity is a quality inherent in large-scale personalities. The battle was lost, but not the war. Kerimov continued his business, slightly adjusting his strategy. He now sought to acquire operational control of his assets.
It is noteworthy that Kerimov was able to triumphantly return to the top of the Forbes ranking within just a couple of years.
Today he has managed to practically enter the top twenty richest businessmen in Russia. Over the past year, Kerimov's fortune has grown by more than 200%. The oligarch is gradually transferring his assets to his son Said, including Polyus Gold and the airport in Makhachkala, increasingly focusing on social activities and charity.
Political careerKerimov is not only a successful businessman who knows how to survive falls with dignity and take off again. The uniqueness of his personality lies in the fact that he has been a political centenarian for a long time, and of the highest level.
Suleiman Abusaidovich - deputy of the State Duma of 2 convocations (1999-2003, 2004-2007) from the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2008 to this day, Kerimov has represented his native Dagestan in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.
Of course, Kerimov formally transferred the management of business assets to a foundation named after himself, having entered the public service. But in fact he continued to control and influence the processes in his structures. Moreover, as time has shown, he successfully combines all areas of his varied activities.
Strong family and beautiful personal lifeSuleiman met his wife Firuza in his youth. Over their long life together, they raised three children, who are currently continuing their father’s work. The oligarch's wife has always been a reliable support and loyal friend for him. Firuza Kerimova is a non-public figure, but, in addition to maintaining a home and raising children, she takes part in her husband’s charitable activities, especially in Dagestan.
As for any Caucasian, family is sacred for Kerimov. His marriage is strong and indestructible, although attempts to destroy it were still made by other women. For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that Suleiman Abusaidovich himself gave reason for such attempts, being a connoisseur and lover of beautiful women.
But his relationships outside the family cannot be called adventures in the vulgar sense of the word. Firstly, like a true Caucasian, Kerimov knows how to court women romantically and on a grand scale. Secondly, some of the most famous and beautiful women in the country were next to him. Thirdly, he never really hid his romantic relationships from the public, which, as we know, greatly reduces their interest in such stories.
The oligarch's friends at different times were singer Natalya Vetlitskaya, scandalous ballerina Anastasia Volochkova, Tina Kandelaki already mentioned in the article, and actress Olesya Sudzilovskaya. Each story is reminiscent of a fairy tale about a handsome prince, although with the same ending: the prince ends the relationship and remains with his family. Apartments, planes, jewelry and boutiques remain as souvenirs for the beautiful girl.
While billionaire Suleiman Kerimov is recovering in a private Belgian clinic, TV presenter Tina Kandelaki once again appeared in public. Her hands were still covered (according to rumors, they were burned during the accident with Kerimov in Nice), but the photographers managed to capture her fingers. White spots are clearly visible on them, very similar to barely healed burns.
Tina was far from the first TV personality with whom Suleiman Kerimov shared a vacation abroad. On the contrary, the young, charming and generous billionaire always loved social gatherings and especially valued communication with beautiful and talented women. He organized luxurious parties for friends and girlfriends, gave beautiful gifts to his chosen ones, organized dates in the best restaurants, helped girls make a successful career in show business... Cleo magazine prepared the most complete list of novels attributed to Kerimov.
Let us recall that on November 25, businessman Suleiman Kerimov, who ranks 72nd on the Forbes 2006 world list of billionaires with a fortune of $7.1 billion, was involved in a car accident on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
Kerimov’s first and most constant love was the daughter of a high-ranking official, Firuz. He met a pretty girl while studying in Derbent, Dagestan, and soon the lovers got married. His father-in-law helped Suleiman get a good job as an economist at the Eltav electronics plant, one of the largest enterprises in Dagestan. Kerimov’s wife has always been a real “eastern” wife. She does not appear in public; she is currently raising three children. At the same time, she is always ready to help her husband. She has great authority in the Moscow Dagestan diaspora (largely thanks to her wives and friends), and in Dagestan she is well known. How Firuza feels about rumors about her husband’s romantic interests is unknown; Kerimov’s wife does not want to communicate with the press.
And there were enough rumors. At one time, the singer Natalya Vetlitskaya was even mistakenly called Kerimov’s wife in the press, so openly tender and strong was the relationship of this couple. The beautiful romance with Natalya lasted for several years. On the singer’s 38th birthday, the businessman rented a 19th-century noble estate in the Moscow region. All Moscow bohemia came to the holiday - more than three hundred people. The group “Modern Talking” was invited especially for Vetlitskaya from Germany, and Toto Cutugno from Italy. “Modern Talking” asked for $5 thousand for the performance, Cutugno - $3.5 thousand. And the actual gift for Vetlitskaya was a gold pendant with diamonds, the cost of which was approximately $10 thousand.
It is no secret that Vetlitskaya’s musical career largely depended on her influential businessman friends. They say that it was Kerimov who played the main role in Vetlitskaya’s return to the world of show business, which the pop diva left after a quarrel with Dmitry Malikov and showman Pavel Vashchekin. According to rumors, Kerimov made very serious financial investments in the promotion of the singer. Thanks to his connections, Vetlitskaya’s videos were played on the night air of some channels for months.
Suleiman smoothed out the breakup with Natalya by giving the pop diva a plane as a good memory of herself. And yet, they say, Natalya was very worried about the breakup. Having met her former lover in a restaurant with her new passion, ballerina Anastasia Volochkova, Vetlitskaya angrily promised to make her rival disabled by hiring bandits.
Volochkova took the threat seriously and immediately received additional security from Kerimov. Their romance was stormy and difficult to hide. The ballerina canceled her concert scheduled for March 12 - Suleiman's birthday - in order to spend this day in the company of her friend. But Suleiman’s relationship with Anastasia turned out to be short-lived. They gossiped that the ballerina had hurt Suleiman. And that it was after their breakup that she started having problems in the theater.
One of Suleiman's last hobbies was Zhanna Friske. A month before the accident in Nice, Kerimov was seen with a popular singer in the Moscow restaurant “Aist”. All evening the businessman gently stroked Zhanna’s hand, and from time to time whispered something in her ear. They sat in the restaurant for about two hours; Friske ate only desserts from what she ordered.
Not so long ago, Kerimov was seen in the company of another beauty - young Katya Gomiashvili. The daughter of artist Archil Gomiashvili, who played Ostap Bender, is a fashion designer. As they said, the billionaire did not skimp on helping her “unwind.”
How can Kerimov take a girl for a ride?
The Ferrari Enzo in which the billionaire had an unfortunate accident did not belong to him. But Kerimov has a vehicle in which there is no shame in taking a beauty for a ride.
His four-deck yacht Ice is 90 meters long. (For comparison: the length of Roman Abramovich’s largest yacht Pelorus is 115 meters). The yacht is designed for 16 people. The sinks and all seven baths in the owner's and guest cabins are made from solid pieces of limestone, and the interiors are finished in oak. The owner's bedroom extends from one side of the yacht to the other. There is a swimming pool and a helipad on board. The cruising range is more than 11,000 km. According to some reports, the interior decor alone, including painting, cost $25 million, and the total cost of the yacht could be about $170 million.
As a personal airliner, Kerimov uses not an ordinary small business aircraft, but a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 737-700 - a luxuriously finished medium-haul passenger airliner. In a standard commercial configuration, the Boeing 737 carries more than 100 passengers, but in the BBJ modification it takes only 16 people on board, and the owner has an office, a shower room and a bedroom on board. The cost of such an aircraft with interior “stuffing” reaches $50 million, which is almost twice as expensive as the Bombardier Challenger, the most popular among Russian businessmen. The BBJ can fly to America: its non-stop flight range is up to 12,000 km.
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 (net worth $6.3 billion, according to Forbes) was taken to court and charged with tax evasion and money laundering, Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Prétre 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.
Billionaire Kerimov Suleiman was born on March 12, 1966 in Dagestan, more precisely, in the city of Derbent. This year he turned 50 years old, but he is still energetic and young at heart. According to Forbes, his current net worth is $1.6 billion. Of course, this is an impressive amount. However, just recently he was the owner of a fortune exceeding 3 billion US dollars. What is the reason for such a catastrophic decline in the financial stability of the aligarch? Let's figure it out.
BiographyIt’s better to start the story with his biography. Suleiman Abusaidovich Kerimov comes from the small mountain village of Karakyure (Dagestan). The father of the future businessman worked in the criminal investigation department, and his mother worked as an accountant at Sberbank. Suleiman Kerimov is the youngest child in the family. He also has an older sister and brother. All Kerimov’s close relatives are very respected people. Thus, his brother became a doctor, and his sister became a teacher of Russian language and literature.
In 1983, Kerimov graduated from high school with a gold medal and entered the construction department of the DPI (Dagestan Polytechnic Institute). After studying only one course at the university, he leaves to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces. Within two years, Suleiman Kerimov received the rank of sergeant.
After serving, he continued his studies at DSU (Dagestan State University) at the Faculty of Economics. While still a student, Suleiman Kerimov tied the knot. His wife is his classmate named Firuza. Her father, who was a major party functionary at that time, helped his son-in-law get a job at the Eltav plant. Kerimov worked at this enterprise for five years, rising to the rank of Deputy General Director for Economic Affairs. And he began his dizzying career as an ordinary employee. In 1993, Eltav, together with its related partners, established the Federal Industrial Bank, which was registered in Moscow. Kerimov was appointed as his representative. It was then that he settled in the capital.
Natural charm and business acumen allow him to expand his circle of acquaintances. And after two years of living in Moscow, he receives a tempting and promising offer to become deputy general director of the Soyuz-finance company. In April 1997, Suleiman Abusaidovich Kerimov received the position of researcher at the International Institute of Corporations. A couple of years later he becomes vice president of this company. Having worked in this position for less than a year, the oligarch is running for deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. In December 2003, Kerimov nominated his candidacy for elections in the Buinaksky single-mandate constituency, but failed. His comrade-in-arms Gadzhiev Magomed won. After this failure, Kerimov’s political activity in his homeland began to decline.
Two years later, news leaked to the media that it was planned to build a “city for millionaires” near Moscow. Kerimov Suleiman became the ideological inspirer of this large-scale project. Initially, they planned to build houses designed to house thirty thousand millionaires and billionaires in Russia. But later, for some reason, the businessman abandoned his idea and sold the project to Mikhail Shishkhanov, who is the president of B&N Bank.
Kerimov is always lucky. In December 2007, an extraordinary meeting of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Dagestan was held, at which it was proposed to nominate the billionaire for the post of representative of the Republic of Dagestan in the Federation Council.
In September 2013, fortune showed its tail to Kerimov. Luck turns away from the businessman. The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus reports that Kerimov has been charged with abuse of his official position. And already on September 2, 2013, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus submitted an application to Interpol to place the entrepreneur and public figure on the international wanted list.
BusinessKerimov Suleiman almost always correctly calculates all the moves and risks, so he manages not only to profitably invest his own capital in some business, but also to increase it. Kerimov’s largest asset was a controlling stake in the Nafta Moscow company. Having bought them in 1999, the businessman brought them to one hundred percent in just a year.
Politics did not at all prevent the entrepreneur from running his own business quite successfully. It is worth noting that she even strengthened his position. It’s not for nothing that Forbes placed Kerimov in 31st place among the richest people. The entrepreneur then correctly calculated that he could make a huge profit by buying up shares of the country's largest enterprises. Suleiman Kerimov is a billionaire and an excellent strategist. Until now, he has profitably resold the acquired assets to his colleagues and friends. At the same time, the businessman established good relations with billionaires Abramovich and Oleg Deripaska. Many mutually beneficial transactions were carried out with them.
He also bought land. As mentioned earlier, he profitably resold his own project for the construction of luxury real estate near Moscow. Somewhat later, the oil tycoon’s assets included shares in Sberbank and Gazprom, large cable television operators and even a plant specializing in the production of sugar.
And in 2009, Kerimov bought about 40% of the shares of the Polyus Gold company, which is engaged in gold mining. In 2015, the businessman already received 95 percent of the assets of this enterprise. This scope is very impressive! However, this is not enough for an entrepreneur. He very successfully invests his own money in foreign companies. The oligarch withdrew the bulk of his capital from Russia long ago.
PolicyIt is worthwhile to dwell on the political activities of the businessman in more detail, because they are very bright and interesting. Kerimov was elected as a deputy from the LDPR faction in the early 2000s, but in 2007 he suddenly left the party without explaining the reasons. Somewhat later, he was elected senator of Dagestan.
At the very beginning of his political career, Kerimov was a member of the security committee, and later - chairman of the committee on physical culture, sports and youth policy.
ConnectionsOver the entire period of his activity, the entrepreneur acquired the necessary connections and contacts. Further in the article we will talk about such people who played their role in the life of a billionaire.
Kerimov is the richest man in Russia. Over the past year, it has lost some ground, losing $1.8 billion. Perhaps Suleiman Kerimov invested his fortune in some other profitable business. Now the businessman ranks 45th in the Forbes ranking.
OwnThe entrepreneur owns a large number of shares of the largest enterprises in Russia. He owns the assets of Gazprom, Sberbank, Polyus Gold and many others.
In 2011, Kerimov indicated in his tax return that he owned: fifty percent of the Nafta Moscow company registered in Cyprus, five percent of the Altitude company (in Bermuda) and twenty percent of Aniketa Investments Limited (Cyprus).
He has real estate in Dagestan and Russia. Suleiman Kerimov’s house in his homeland looks very presentable.
Football club"Anji" (football club) is another profitable acquisition of the richest man. In 2011, the athletes found a new boss. It became Kerimov. Anzhi began to look much more powerful under his leadership.
It was under him that the Makhachkala club acquired several famous football players, such as:
- Zhirkov;
- Prudnikov;
- Dzsudzsak;
- Carlos;
- Akhmedov;
- It's about.
Construction of two bases on the shores of the Caspian Sea is currently underway. In addition, the reconstruction of the Khazar stadium, which will accommodate about thirty thousand fans, is being actively carried out here. From now on, Kerimov and Anji are connected into one whole.
PatronageThis is far from the end of all the entrepreneur’s merits. Suleiman Kerimov heads a charitable foundation that finances a number of programs designed to support domestic sports. All of these special projects have an individual focus, so assistance is distributed specifically to specific regions. Gyms are being reconstructed, equipment and equipment are being purchased, and funds are being allocated to support coaches and wrestlers.
Personal life and hobbiesImmediately after serving in the army, Kerimov tied the knot with Firuza Khanbalaeva. He has three children: daughters Gulnara and Aminat, as well as a son, Abusaid. Not long ago, Suleiman Kerimov was having fun at a wedding; his daughter was getting married.
Once in his youth, the businessman was passionate about kettlebell lifting and judo and even took prizes at championships.
Suleiman Kerimov does not like to talk about himself and his loved ones. His family, despite their wealth, rarely appears at social parties. Little is known about the businessman’s wife and children. But there are rumors about the oligarch's passion for beautiful women. He is credited with an affair not only with Tina Kandelaki, but also with other stars. For example, he gave the pop star of the nineties Natalya Vetlitskaya expensive diamonds. Other celebrities join this list: ballerina Volochkova, actress Sudzilovskaya, singer Zhanna Friske and even TV presenter and socialite Ksenia Sobchak.
The most recent novel is a love affair with designer Ekaterina Gomiashvili. She even became pregnant by the billionaire, but he never recognized this child. The long list of the oligarch’s former passions allows one to judge that Kerimov simply collects social beauties and has no intention of divorcing his wife. It should be noted that Eastern men rarely leave their spouse. This fully applies to our hero. Suleiman Kerimov and his wife Firuza are a strong couple.
Accident in NiceIn November 2006, an entrepreneur crashed his Ferrari in France. The famous TV personality Tina Kandelaki was in the car with him at that moment. The oligarch's car suddenly left the road and crashed into a tree. The violent collision caused the gas tank to burst and burning fuel poured onto Kerimov. The fire immediately engulfed him in flames. The oligarch jumped out of the car and began to roll on the ground, trying to put out the flames. There was no way to do this; teenagers who were playing baseball nearby came running to help.
The terrible accident caused a multi-kilometer traffic jam on the road. Entry into Nice was blocked for several hours. Since Suleiman Kerimov is the son of his staunch ancestors, he bravely endured all the trials. The oligarch received severe burns; a special helicopter had to be urgently called for him, on which the oligarch was taken to a hospital in Marseille. The billionaire injured in an accident was connected to an artificial respiration apparatus and put into a coma. It is interesting that the entrepreneur’s companion, who was traveling with him in the car, was almost not injured. The car could not be restored or repaired, so it had to be sent to a landfill. By the way, the car cost €675 thousand. Such an unpleasant story can happen to anyone. Suleiman Kerimov (his biography is replete with ups and downs) steadfastly withstood this test.
Titles and positions. Briefly about the main thingIn 2007, the businessman became a representative from the People's Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan in the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
He was deputy chairman of the committee on physical education and sports, youth policy and was a member of the State Duma.
Kerimov is currently the president of the board of trustees of the Russian Wrestling Federation.
He received the most prestigious award from the international federation FILA - the “Golden Order”.
Scandals: fight for the portAll media outlets wrote about the unspoken conflict between entrepreneur Magomedov Ziyavudin and Kerimov. The cause of the conflict was a fight for the most lucrative assets of the Republic of Dagestan. The oligarchs are arguing again and dividing the Makhachkala port, which is the hub of all Caspian oil product transportation routes. In 2013, Kerimov voluntarily surrendered his position as the main investor, thereby secretly handing over the helm to Magomedov. A year later he regained his championship. The Kremlin advised the oligarch to invest in modernizing the port, as well as the airport.
Many analysts attribute Kerimov’s increased interest in Makhachkala assets to the fact that he seeks to completely get rid of all his assets and direct his own efforts to developing the foreign market. Perhaps the billionaire will soon leave Russia altogether and settle abroad. Other analysts are inclined to believe that Kerimov will lose his huge money in the near future and become a millionaire. By the way, this version has a right to exist. Recently, Kerimov has already lost his former grip and flair; he has become a businessman who owns an investment portfolio that is no longer so large.
Chill in relations with the Kremlin does not contribute to optimal work, so the oligarch, not seeing support from the state, is looking for help abroad. Perhaps the Russian government has not forgotten or forgiven him for the dubious story with Uralkali. After all, that situation spoiled the friendly relations of the Russian Federation with Belarus.
Not long ago, Kerimov was forced to get rid of both the gallery and his stake in VTB Bank. He is currently negotiating the sale of assets to Polyus Gold. Perhaps he needed the money to acquire the notorious port in Makhachkala. The issue price could be $350 million.
The story of Uralkali: an excursion into the recent pastThis scandal, which broke out several years ago, shook up the political community of Belarus and Russia. In the summer of 2010, the oligarch, together with his allies, acquired more than fifty percent of the shares. This deal was valued at five billion dollars. For this purpose, Suleiman Kerimov (Dagestan) even took out an impressive loan from VTB.
At that time, Uralkali, together with Belaruskali, sold their own products through a common sales company. In the summer of 2013, this mutual partnership agreement was terminated. The initiator of the break was the Ural company. In addition, the company reported a reduction in prices for its products and an increase in production volumes. Of course, Belarusians could hardly like such behavior. Since then, the once friendly countries have had rather strained relations.
ConclusionThe interesting biography and extraordinary personality of the billionaire attract the closest attention of ordinary people to his person. Television, newspapers and magazines are full of a wide variety of information, sometimes even contradictory. Rumors, gossip, scandals associated with famous people are interesting to many. If you didn’t know what Kerimov was before, perhaps this article helped you understand it.
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.
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