Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman who owns investment company Millhouse LLC, a Britain-based investment company launched in 2011 to manage the billionaire’s assets. He also owns the Chelsea football club and other steel and mining firms Evraz, Norilsk Nickel. Coming from humble background, Abramovich has been involved in philanthropy as well. He has donated huge amounts of his wealth in order to provide better services to the people of his village. Other than being a business magnate, Roman has been a politician during the late 90s. He currently has a net worth of $14.4 billion and ranks on number 142 on the global rich list, according to Forbes.
Born on 24th October 1966 in Saratov, Russia, and faced several hardships during his childhood. He got orphaned at the tender age of 1 and a half years old when his mother, Irina, a housekeeper, died. His father, an office staff manager had died in a car accident. The responsibility of Roman’s upbringing was then taken up by his relative. Roman’s uncle Leib took him to the industrial town of Ukhta, where he attended the local public school.
His first business idea was of selling tires and automobile parts from his apartment to make some money. After having stints at the compulsory army camps, he understood that the field is not for him. However, he managed to turn his situation into profit by selling stolen gasoline to his unit’s commission officers. He went on to operate many illegal businesses throughout the 80s but was able to finally legalize them once Perestroika allowed trade to businessmen in the Soviet Union.
In 1990, Roman started a company with his wife that made dolls and other toys. During this era, Roman’s wealth started to increase multifold which helped him liquidate twenty companies in various sectors such as tires and bodyguard recruiters. From 1992-95, he started 5 oil companies and became the co-owner of one of the major oil companies called Sibneft. This helped Roman to get well-connected amongst the right people, including the President of Russia.
Roman’s political journey started in 1999 when he was elected as the governor of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, a very impoverished region. He started putting his own money into the region and transformed it by building many hotels, educational institutes, as well as renovating airports. The Russian magazine Expert named him ‘Person of the Year’ and he was given the ‘Order of Honor’.
However, not everything was bright as the sun in Roman’s life. He has faced many allegations of fraud, blackmail, and bribery. His onetime business partner Boris Berezovsky accused him of threatening and blackmailing. Boris took him to court and won the case, acquiring $3 billion in damages from Roman. A report in Times magazine accused him of using his money to gain political favor and secure big shares in Russia’s aluminum and oil assets.
That said, Roman still lives his life like a person with lots of money. Even though he has lost a lot of money in reparations, he still splurges on luxury. He owns the second most expensive luxury yacht in the world along with four others and calls the group Abramovich’s Army’. He also owns his private aircraft, Boeing 767-33A/ER called the ‘Bandit’
