Paul Tatum
Encyclopedia
Paul Tatum was an American
businessman who was killed on November 3, 1996, in a Moscow
metro station close to his hotel. Tatum was operating a Hotel Joint Venture with a Chechen
businessman named Umar Dzhabrailov. Tatum founded the Americom Business Centre and became part-owner of the Radisson Slavyankaya Hotel, an upscale hotel in Moscow, which catered to foreign businessmen and high-end guests.
Tatum was born in Edmond
, Oklahoma
, USA, and travelled to Russia
in 1985, involving himself in various business activities. He reportedly knew President Clinton
, who was a regular guest of his hotel while visiting Russia on state visits. During the attempted coup in Russia
in the summer of 1991, Tatum had supplied president Boris Yeltsin
's only link to the outside world by giving him satellite linkage from a government building in Moscow, which was surrounded by army units trying to overthrow his fledgling democratic government.
Tatum had numerous disputes with his hotel partner Dzhabrailov, at one point taking out a full page ad in a local Moscow newspaper alleging Dzhabrailov was blackmail
ing Tatum and trying to force him out of the hotel joint venture. A few weeks later he was gunned down and shot 11 times in the head and neck. Tatum suspected he would be the target of a Mafia hit, and was wearing a bulletproof vest
at the time of his attack. Shortly after Tatum's death, Dzhabrailov and the Moscow city government quickly took over complete control of the hotel joint venture.
Carol Williams investigated the Tatum murder for the Los Angeles Times and after concluding it had likely been a contract killing, she got a call from someone in the government who told her it was “unhealthy to pursue certain avenues of inquiry,” Williams says.
He was interred in Kuntsevo Cemetery
, Moscow.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman who was killed on November 3, 1996, in a Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
metro station close to his hotel. Tatum was operating a Hotel Joint Venture with a Chechen
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
businessman named Umar Dzhabrailov. Tatum founded the Americom Business Centre and became part-owner of the Radisson Slavyankaya Hotel, an upscale hotel in Moscow, which catered to foreign businessmen and high-end guests.
Tatum was born in Edmond
Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, USA, and travelled to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1985, involving himself in various business activities. He reportedly knew President Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, who was a regular guest of his hotel while visiting Russia on state visits. During the attempted coup in Russia
Soviet coup attempt of 1991
The 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt , also known as the August Putsch or August Coup , was an attempt by a group of members of the Soviet Union's government to take control of the country from Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev...
in the summer of 1991, Tatum had supplied president Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
's only link to the outside world by giving him satellite linkage from a government building in Moscow, which was surrounded by army units trying to overthrow his fledgling democratic government.
Tatum had numerous disputes with his hotel partner Dzhabrailov, at one point taking out a full page ad in a local Moscow newspaper alleging Dzhabrailov was blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ing Tatum and trying to force him out of the hotel joint venture. A few weeks later he was gunned down and shot 11 times in the head and neck. Tatum suspected he would be the target of a Mafia hit, and was wearing a bulletproof vest
Bulletproof vest
A ballistic vest, bulletproof vest or bullet-resistant vest is an item of personal armor that helps absorb the impact from firearm-fired projectiles and shrapnel from explosions, and is worn on the torso...
at the time of his attack. Shortly after Tatum's death, Dzhabrailov and the Moscow city government quickly took over complete control of the hotel joint venture.
Carol Williams investigated the Tatum murder for the Los Angeles Times and after concluding it had likely been a contract killing, she got a call from someone in the government who told her it was “unhealthy to pursue certain avenues of inquiry,” Williams says.
He was interred in Kuntsevo Cemetery
Kuntsevo Cemetery
The Kuntsevo Cemetery is a cemetery servicing Kuntsevo, Moscow. It is located on the bank of the Setun River, to the south of the Mozhaisk Highway . The local five-domed church was commissioned in 1673 by Artamon Matveyev...
, Moscow.