Leonid Rozhetskin
Encyclopedia
Leonid Rozhetskin is a financier and lawyer
who is missing under suspicious circumstances after disappearing from his villa in Jūrmala
, Latvia
on March 16, 2008.
, Soviet Union
; he and his mother Elvira emigrated to the United States
in 1980, where he became a U.S. citizen
. Rozhetskin was a "brilliant student", winning scholarships to Columbia University
, where he graduated with distinction. In 1990, Rozhetskin graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School
.
Rozhetskin received a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching from Harvard University
, for teaching Harvard and Radcliffe
undergraduates during the 1989-90 academic year.
for Judge Stephen V. Wilson
, a federal judge in Los Angeles, California; he then joined the law firm White & Case
.
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, representing clients such as the International Finance Corporation
(a division of the World Bank
), Credit Suisse
, Morgan Grenfell and The Moscow Times
.
during the Russia's privatisation
of telecom companies." 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.
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. In 2003, Rozhetskin sold the MegaFon stake to Alfa
.
From October 2001 until January 2005, Rozhetskin served as Executive Vice Chairman of Norilsk Nickel, Russia's largest mining company and the world's largest miner of nickel and palladium metals.
Rozhetskin is also a board member and founding shareholder of City A.M.
, London's first free daily business newspaper.
Rozhetskin is credited as a producer of Hamlet 2
; he is also credited as an executive producer of the 2009 film Boogie Woogie.
(and other sources), 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
." 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; .
According to Russian press, Rozhetskin is currently living in California under the Federal Witness Protection Program, Many Western media sources assume he is dead.
As of June 2009, most of Rozhetskin's assets—estimated at "several hundred million dollars"—are in a trust
controlled by an American lawyer in Geneva., who has full legal powers over how to manage Rozhetskin's assets until Rozhetskin is declared dead.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who is missing under suspicious circumstances after disappearing from his villa in Jūrmala
Jurmala
Jūrmala is a city in Latvia, about 25 kilometers west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
on March 16, 2008.
Early life and education
Rozhetskin was born in 1966 to a Jewish family in LeningradLeningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
; he and his mother Elvira emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1980, where he became a U.S. citizen
Citizenship in the United States
Citizenship in the United States is a status given to individuals that entails specific rights, duties, privileges, and benefits between the United States and the individual...
. Rozhetskin was a "brilliant student", winning scholarships to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he graduated with distinction. In 1990, Rozhetskin graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
Rozhetskin received a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, for teaching Harvard and Radcliffe
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
undergraduates during the 1989-90 academic year.
Legal career
Rozhetskin began his legal career as a law clerkLaw clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for Judge Stephen V. Wilson
Stephen Victor Wilson
Stephen Victor Wilson is a judge on the United States District Court for the Central District of California.Born in New York, New York, Wilson received a B.A. from Lehigh University in 1963, a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1967, and an LL.M. from George Washington University Law School in 1973....
, a federal judge in Los Angeles, California; he then joined the law firm White & Case
White & Case
White & Case was founded in New York in 1901 and has grown into one of the world's leading global law firms. The firm has since expanded, and has practice groups in emerging markets including Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, as well as in Europe...
.
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, representing clients such as the International Finance Corporation
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
(a division of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
), Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse
The Credit Suisse Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services company headquartered in Zurich, with more than 250 branches in Switzerland and operations in more than 50 countries.-History:...
, Morgan Grenfell and The Moscow Times
The Moscow Times
The Moscow Times is an English-language daily newspaper published in Moscow, Russia since 1992. The circulation in 2008 stood at 35,000 copies and the newspaper is typically given out for free at places English-language "expats" attend, including hotels, cafés and restaurants, as well as by...
.
Career in investments, mining and media
Rozhetskin, "amassed his fortune in the mobile phone industryMobile phone industry in Russia
The mobile phone industry in Russia has expanded rapidly to become one of the largest in the world.-History:In 1963, Russia's first mobile phone network using the car phone came into operation....
during the Russia's privatisation
Privatization in Russia
Russian privatization was the reform consisting in privatization of state-owned industrial assets that took place in Russia in the 1990s, during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin, immediately after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, where private ownership of enterprises had been illegal for a long...
of telecom companies." 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
Boris Jordan
Boris Jordan is an American businessman of Russian origin. He speaks both English and Russian fluently.An American of Russian ancestry, Boris Jordan assisted Russia's economic transition to capitalism in the early '90s, assisting in the launch of the Russian stock market and the privatization of...
, an American of Russian origin, and New Zealander Stephen Jennings.
In 1998, Rozhetskin left Renaissance Capital to co-found the independent venture capital firm LV Finance. With help from Leonid Reiman
Leonid Reiman
Leonid Dododzhonovich Reiman, in Russian: Леонид Дододжонович Рейман; born July 12, 1957 in Leningrad is a Russian businessman and government official, former Minister of Communications and Information Technologies of the Russian Federation...
, LV Finance secured 25% of MegaFon
MegaFon
MegaFon ,previously known as North-West GSM, is the second largest mobile phone operator in Russia. It works in the GSM and UMTS standard. Its main competitors are Bee Line GSM and Mobile TeleSystems ....
at the time Reiman was Russia’s telecommunications minister. In 2003, Rozhetskin sold the MegaFon stake to Alfa
Alfa
Alfa may refer to:* A grass also called esparto.* ALFA , an international indoor rowing competition in Estonia* Alfa , a Lebanese telecom company* ALFA , a Mexican industrial conglomerate* Alfa , a title in Guinea...
.
From October 2001 until January 2005, Rozhetskin served as Executive Vice Chairman of Norilsk Nickel, Russia's largest mining company and the world's largest miner of nickel and palladium metals.
Rozhetskin is also a board member and founding shareholder of City A.M.
City A.M.
City A.M. is a free, business-focused newspaper distributed in and around London in the United Kingdom. It was launched by a group of entrepreneurs in September 2005 and remains independent of any other media company. Its certified distribution hit a new record of 113,348 copies a day in November...
, London's first free daily business newspaper.
Rozhetskin is credited as a producer of Hamlet 2
Hamlet 2
Hamlet 2 is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Andrew Fleming, written by Fleming and Pam Brady, and starring Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler, and David Arquette. It was produced by Eric Eisner, Leonid Rozhetskin, and Aaron Ryder. Hamlet 2 was filmed primarily at a high school in...
; he is also credited as an executive producer of the 2009 film Boogie Woogie.
Personal life
Rozhetskin married model Natalya Belova, who gave birth to their son in 2005. According to The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
(and other sources), Rozhetskin's friends suspected he lived a closeted
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
life, prompted by what the newspaper called Russia's "machismo
Machismo
Machismo, or machoism, is a word of Spanish and Portuguese origin that describes prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity. As an attitude, machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to a more extreme male chauvinism...
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
Smear campaign
A smear campaign, smear tactic or simply smear is a metaphor for activity that can harm an individual or group's reputation by conflation with a stigmatized group...
." 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; .
According to Russian press, Rozhetskin is currently living in California under the Federal Witness Protection Program, Many Western media sources assume he is dead.
As of June 2009, most of Rozhetskin's assets—estimated at "several hundred million dollars"—are in a trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
controlled by an American lawyer in Geneva., who has full legal powers over how to manage Rozhetskin's assets until Rozhetskin is declared dead.