Leonid Borisovich Rozhetskin (Russian: Леонид Борисович Рожецкин, born August 4, 1966; disappeared March 16, 2008) was a financier and lawyer who went missing under suspicious circumstances after disappearing from his village in Jūrmala, Latvia.[1] In 2013, remains found nearby the year before were confirmed to be Rozhetskin's.[citation needed]
Leonid Rozhetskin Леонид Рожецкин | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 4, 1966 |
| Disappeared | March 16, 2008 (aged 41) Jūrmala, Latvia |
| Body discovered | Latvian Forest |
| Nationality | Russian, American |
| Citizenship | U.S. |
| Education | Harvard Law School |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, financier |
| Years active | 1990– 2008 |
| Spouse | Natalya Belova |
| Children | 1 son |
Early life and education edit
Rozhetskin was born in 1966 to a Jewish family in Leningrad, Soviet Union; he and his mother Elvira emigrated to the United States in 1980,[1] where he became a U.S. citizen. Rozhetskin was a "brilliant student", winning scholarships to Columbia University, where he graduated with distinction.[1] In 1990, Rozhetskin graduated cum laude[citation needed] from Harvard Law School.
Rozhetskin received a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching from Harvard University,[citation needed] for teaching Harvard and Radcliffe undergraduates during the 1989-90 academic year.
Legal career edit
Rozhetskin began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Stephen V. Wilson, a federal judge in Los Angeles, California; he then joined the law firm White & Case.[1]
At the age of 26, Rozhetskin returned to Russia, first as a lawyer at White & Case's Moscow office, and then as the head of his own law firm,[1] representing clients such as the International Finance Corporation (a division of the World Bank), Credit Suisse, Morgan Grenfell and The Moscow Times.[citation needed]
Career in investments, mining and media edit
In 1995, Rozhetskin's focus shifted from the law to financial ventures. Rozhetskin was part of a group that founded Renaissance Capital, Russia's first investment bank, in partnership with Boris Jordan, an American of Russian origin, and New Zealander Stephen Jennings.[1]
In 1998, Rozhetskin left Renaissance Capital to co-found the independent venture capital firm LV Finance. With help from Leonid Reiman, LV Finance secured 25% of MegaFon at the time Reiman was Russia's telecommunications minister.[1] In August 2003, Rozhetskin sold the MegaFon stake to Altimo, a subsidiary of Mikhail Fridman's Alfa Group.[1][a]
From October 2001 until January 2005, Rozhetskin served as Executive Vice Chairman of Norilsk Nickel,[6][7] Russia's largest mining company and the world's largest miner of nickel and palladium metals. Rozhetskin was also a board member and founding shareholder of City A.M., London's first free daily business newspaper.
Rozhetskin founded a production company called L + E Productions with Eric Eisner, son of former Disney executive Michael Eisner. Through L + E Productions, he was credited as a producer of Hamlet 2; he was also credited as an executive producer of the 2009 film Boogie Woogie.[8]
Personal life edit
Rozhetskin married model Natalya Belova, who gave birth to their son in 2005.[citation needed] According to The Sunday Times, Rozhetskin's friends suspected he lived a closeted life, prompted by what the newspaper called Russia's "machismo and deep-seated homophobia"; the "extraordinary lengths to [he went to] conceal his homosexuality included withholding the truth on the subject from his mother, who characterized claims of her son's homosexuality as a "smear campaign."[1]
Disappearance and death edit
Rozhetskin was last seen on the night of his disappearance by two men who were picked up at his villa by a taxi that took them to a club called XXL, Riga's largest gay nightclub at 2:30 am on 16 March.[1][9] Many Western media sources quickly assumed he was dead,[1][10] although the Russian press claimed he was living in California under the Federal Witness Protection Program.[11]
In 2012, a body found in a forest near Tukums was that of Rozhetskin, according to preliminary DNA tests.[12]
See also edit
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Leonid Rozhetskin: Russia's missing tycoon". The Sunday Times. June 28, 2009. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
- ^ Walsh, Conal (6 December 2007). "Western investors worry as Russian writs fly: The rights of foreign shareholders are at stake in a Moscow courtroom in a case that can only get nastier - and more entertaining". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Russia's Altimo says MegaFon dispute resolved". Reuters. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Interview With Altimo CEO, Alexey Reznikovich". Cision. Barcelona. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2020 – via Dow Jones Newswires.
- ^ Middleton, James (30 July 2007). "Altimo vs. Ipoc: it's all over". telecom.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ Brook, Stephen (20 March 2008). "City AM founder disappears in Latvia". The Guardian.
- ^ Edwards, Richard (21 March 2008). "Russian-born City AM backer disappears". Daily Telegraph.
- ^ Leonid Rozhetskin at IMDb
- ^ Tomkinson, Martin; Moreton, Cole (11 May 2008). "The missing multi-millionaire: A cut-throat mystery for the new Cold War: All that was left behind was a pool of blood when Leonid Rozhetskin disappeared two months ago. Investigators are still no closer to working out what happened. What has become of the Russian tycoon with a thirst for danger?". The Independent. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ Gammell, Caroline; Blomfield, Adrian (25 March 2008). "City AM backer Leonid Rozhetskin feared dead". Daily Telegraph.
- ^ "В Лондоне исчезла жена Леонида Рожецкина (Leonid Rozhetskin's wife disappeared in London" (in Russian). RBC TV. 23 September 2008. Archived from the original on 26 September 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
- ^ Gain, Bruce. "Missing Americans body a DNA match in Latvia". www.crimelibrary.com. Retrieved 18 October 2012.