Mikhail Khodorkovsky: biography, career

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a well-known domestic businessman, publicist and politician. Known for the fact that at the turn of the 1990-2000s he headed one of the country's largest oil companies, but was accused by the authorities of tax evasion, spent more than ten years in prison. After being released, he left Russia and lives in exile.

Biography of a businessman

Mikhail Khodorkovsky was born in 1963. He was born in Moscow. Mikhail Khodorkovsky's father, Boris Moiseevich, was a chemical engineer, maternal great-grandfather, a well-known entrepreneur in the country, who owned a factory that was nationalized after the October Revolution.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky himself received his higher education at the Moscow Institute of Chemical Technology, which bears the name of Mendeleev.

Khodorkovsky's empire

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, private enterprise was allowed. Khodorkovsky founded the center of scientific and technical creativityyouth in the capital. Then he started doing all sorts of imports, reselling computers, and even washing jeans.

In 1989, Mikhail Khodorkovsky created a commercial bank, and when privatization began in the country, he took an active part in it at the head of his Menatep bank. He had interests in various iconic industries, then became a co-owner of the Yukos oil company.

Oil Tycoon

First, Khodorkovsky remained a co-owner and then the head of the oil company from 1997 to 2004. In the early 2000s, he actively supported the Yabloko, SPS and KPRF parties. He did not criticize the top leadership of the country, but spoke negatively about the managed democracy led by V. Putin.

In 2003, he had a conflict with the president after Khodorkovsky made a report on corruption in the country at a meeting of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. This caused V. Putin's strong dissatisfaction, and a fight took place between them. According to experts, this was the last straw, after which a criminal case was initiated against Khodorkovsky for tax evasion.

Criminal prosecution

Fateful in the biography of Mikhail Khodorkovsky was the end of 2003, when the arrest occurred. At that time, his fortune was estimated at $15 billion.

In 2005, the court found him guilty of fraud and other crimes, the Yukos company was declared bankrupt. In 2010, newthe circumstances on which the term of his detention was extended. In total, he received 10 years and 10 months in prison.

There is an opinion among the international and liberal public that Khodorkovsky became a prisoner of conscience because he was persecuted solely for political reasons.

In November 2013, the hero of our article sent a petition for pardon to the president, having spent more than ten years in prison by that time. He did not admit his guilt, but asked to be released for family reasons.

In December, during the traditional annual press conference, Putin said that the request would be granted in the near future, on December 20 he signed the corresponding decree. On the same day, Khodorkovsky was transferred from the colony, which was located in Karelia, to St. Petersburg. Then he flew the first plane to Berlin.

Once released, Khodorkovsky and his family went to Switzerland, where he has a residence permit. At the moment, several Swiss companies are registered in his name. According to experts, about $600 million is left of his fortune. Moved to London permanently in 2016.

At the end of 2015, it became known that the Russian Investigative Committee charged the hero of our article in absentia with the murder of Nefteyugansk Mayor Vladimir Petukhov, which was committed in 1998. He was put on the international wanted list, but Interpol rejected the request of the Russian authorities.

Now Khodorkovsky remains to live in exile, founded the Open Russia movement, which is activelyparticipates in political protests.