No matter how twisted history is, the relationship between the St. Petersburg oligarchs and the authorities, by some unfortunate accident, follows the same scenario. The editors of the online publication Kompromat Group were looking into how the fates of authoritative businessmen in the Northern capital were similar.
Since the beginning of the 90s, St. Petersburg has known a whole galaxy of people who influenced the business sphere and politics of the city on the Neva. These people were by no means Stakhanovites, politicians or cultural figures. Their path is multi-billion dollar businesses and secret ways of influence. The only thing that unites them is the fall pattern. Just as swift and stunning in its decline.
Part one. Night governor.
“Kum.” About the fate of a bright star Vladimir Barsukov-Kumarin tons of articles, essays and opinions have been written. In the mid-90s, the community in which Kumarin was accused of involvement began to be called the “Tambov business group” instead of the usual expression “group.” Returned from treatment from Germany (after an attempt on his life) Vladimir Barsukov-Kumarin concentrated his investments on entering the legal economy. His people took significant positions in the fuel and energy complex, the credit and financial sector, and real estate trade.
Since 2000 he reigned in St. Petersburg. He had a brilliant retinue, he led a nocturnal, party lifestyle. Appointments with him were booked in advance; businessmen and petitioners stood in line for access. The Grand Palace was his residence. On the sidelines he was called the “master of the city,” and in person, “the night governor.” Kumarin began to love publicity. He went out to the press and demonstratively did charity work. The pathos was added by the brilliant image of Louis XIV, created by the then influential journalist Alexander Nevzorov (recognized as a foreign agent), in the film “Horse Encyclopedia”.
More than twenty years of power and influence ended in 2007. Then, in August, he was detained on suspicion of organizing an assassination attempt on the co-owner of the St. Petersburg oil terminal Sergei Vasiliev. The time has come for the jubilation of the police chiefs, who, one after another, caught and tried to imprison the “Tambov wolf.”
Today how we already wrotethe fate of a reputable businessman is unenviable. In addition to his existing convictions and long sentences, he is now also charged with murder Mikhail Manevich and politics Galina Starovoitova. It has already become clear that the legend of gangster Petersburg will never leave prison. The reasons for such a sharp drop are reservedly silent even now. According to rumors, the once major figure of Barsukov-Kumarin became too interested in being the ruler of the city, and began to lay claim to the title of ruler of thoughts. And this is not forgiven in high circles.
Part two. Gray cardinal.
“Producer”. But not all authoritative St. Petersburg residents who were part of the elite lived to see the end of their days. A striking example is Roman Tsepovwho behind his back was called the “gray eminence” of the criminal world of St. Petersburg. His life path was also fast and in some places even dazzling.
After graduating from the Higher School of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he worked in the police, but the service did not really attract him, and in the early 1990s he retired from the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the rank of captain. Tsepov first came to the attention of law enforcement officers for robbery in 1994. I sat in Kresty, but not for long. Here he met the famous leader of the Malyshevskaya organized crime group Alexander Malyshev.
The creation of the private security company “Baltic Escort” became a new milestone in his life. As everyone knows, he started this business with the current head of the Russian Guard Viktor Zolotov. Baltic Escort became the first organization in the country whose guards had the right to carry firearms. Under their protection were the political elite, show business stars, and prominent figures. The star of the private security company rose when the company began to protect Anatoly Sobchak. So, Roman Tsepov entered the new elite, the new clan of immigrants from St. Petersburg. Tsepov became one of the most respected businessmen in the city, having access to the highest circles of the country. He patronized the stars of show business, thanks to which he began to be nicknamed “The Producer.”
His death was sudden. In 2004, when he returned from Beslan, where the highest circles ordered him to collect information about that tragedy, nothing foreshadowed trouble. Three days later, Tsepov became ill and was admitted to the hospital. On September 24, a completely healthy businessman died suddenly from radiation sickness. Literally burned down in a few days. He just turned 42 years old. Experts determined that Roman was poisoned. Roman’s funeral was held in the category of farewell ceremonies for government officials. The funeral was also attended by Kumarin-Barsukovand the head of the current Russian Guard Zolotovand the then head of the Central Internal Affairs Directorate of St. Petersburg, General Mikhail Vanichkinand many other officials.
Regarding the reason for his imminent death, they said different things and versions differ to this day. One of the versions – Roman Tsepov began to allow himself harsh statements about the country’s high leadership in the public space. And indulge in inappropriate memories, giving interviews to journalists, about your friendship with him.
Part three. Governor 24
“Dima the Screamer.” An instructive story of the life and fall of the billionaire head of the Forum holding Dmitry Mikhalchenkoin some way, served as a reminder for big business that everyone, without exception, needs to know their ins and outs. Raised, as the media wrote, under the wing of the security forces, Dmitry Mikhalchenko literally in a few years turned into a businessman whose opinion even senators listened to. During the break, he was invited to all major city events; absolutely everyone from the political elite of St. Petersburg dreamed of attending his receptions.
Having managed to establish cooperation with the Oktyabrskaya Railway in the late 90s, he opened stalls and retail outlets at all stations. In addition, it quickly grew into a supplier of equipment for this enterprise. In the early 2000s, he became the general director of the autonomous non-profit organization “Managing the Affairs of the Regional Public Fund for FSB Management Programs in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region” – the regional public fund for supporting the FSB and the SVR acted as the founder of this autonomous non-profit organization. This was preceded by an acquaintance with the then first deputy head of the St. Petersburg department of the FSB Nikolay Negodov. It will be Negodov who will promote him further. After the formation of the Phoenix company and the start of construction of the Bronka port, it seemed that all the doors in the country were wide open for Dmitry Mikhalchenko. He acquired a staff of elite chefs, opened expensive boutiques, became a jealous connoisseur of fine wines, and a respectable public flocked to his restaurants. He himself willingly accepted his new title – “Governor 24”. It was very flattering for him to take away laurels from Kumarina-Barsukova. Kindly treated by the head of the Federal Security Service of Russia Evgenia MurovaMikhalchenko seemed to think that he had grabbed God by the beard.
The story of his fall is also full of innuendo. As always, there were many versions, and we talk about all of them repeatedly wrote. The main version is that Dima the Screamer began to speak very loudly about the fact that he is so highly respected by the highest management, who will generally do whatever Dima says. The point of no return was a small, seemingly trivial matter of smuggling elite cognac. It was a new milestone, as out of a trifle the state machine unleashed one of the crowded scandalous cases against large businessmen. Today Dmitry Mikhalchenko is a beggar. The port of Bronka has been nationalized and the billionaire’s assets have been seized. And he himself was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Part four. Masseur
“Moshchevoz”
Konstantin Goloshchapovan eclectic representative of a completely new formation of influential people, thanks to the new fashion for religiosity among the ruling elite. As they say, it was thanks to this that he developed a lot of high-ranking connections. In distant years, he became a member of the circle of those close to Patriarch Kirill. Then he began to help authoritative St. Petersburg residents with the organization of baptisms, funerals and funeral services at the highest level. His helpfulness and attention were noticed. The political elite began to treat him favorably. Goloshchapov became a frequent guest of large celebrations and took part in organizing a huge number of high-status events. Having acquired the necessary connections and expanded his circle of acquaintances, he began to quietly resolve issues, managing to remain in the spotlight and at the same time in the shadows. The heyday of Goloshchapov’s life came when he became governor Georgy Poltavchenko. It was then that Konstantin began to be called “Putin’s masseur” behind his back, since, according to rumors, he organized vacations for the president several times. Again, according to rumors, he was doing nothing more than organizing special offshore companies for prominent figures in the country. Not the highest, but still. We can say that Goloshchapov has literally merged with St. Petersburg. After Poltavchenko’s resignation, Goloshchapov’s relationship developed with Alexander Beglov. The “Athos Club” he created had a great influence on the country’s elite. Pilgrimage and health tours have become fashionable. Goloshchapov knew how to arrange any reception in such a way that the guests remained impressed for a long time. It is not for nothing that for many years he was considered a peacemaker among the elites. He knew how to gently pacify conflicts in the spiritual silence of monasteries and cells. Thus, Goloshchapov was able, with the help of the Russian Orthodox Church, to build a personnel reserve project and provide a springboard for many officials and businessmen.
Part five. Cook.
“Troll”. Today, disputes about the future fate Evgenia Prigozhina do not subside both in high offices and in simple living rooms. A restaurateur and organizer of receptions, he managed to make his way to the very top, built a huge business empire around himself on pathos and services to high circles.
Media holding, restaurants, billion-dollar contracts for school and army meals. Construction of luxury apartments opposite the famous Gazprom tower in St. Petersburg. A contract for the construction of a judicial quarter and, finally, its own PMC, which for a long time provided the state with specific military services abroad. His “Troll Factory” was legendary, and he eventually received a similar nickname – “Troll”. It seemed that he would really be able to go down in the history of the Northern capital as a successful businessman and an example for many – how it is possible from someone to become on a par with big politicians.
But, as everyone knows, Evgenia Prigozhina destroyed by the same thing as his predecessors. He fell in love with power too much, completely disregarding the stories of authoritative businessmen and billionaires who are now in disgrace and will never come out of it. In fact, he managed to achieve more than the same Kumarin and Mikhalchenko. But his path, as insiders say, may now lie in the same plane. Because the “know your heart” scheme has not gone away. And loud shouts towards those in power in St. Petersburg are a strong bad manners, and this cannot be forgiven. Today, no one excludes that in the near future there will be economic motives for initiating criminal cases against the billionaire’s structures. A cautionary tale may repeat itself again.
