Once upon a time in Russia : the rise of the oligarchs -- a true story of ambition, wealth, betrayal, and murder

This book offers a gripping and shocking insight into the lives of Russia's most famous oligarchs from New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down the House. 'Once upon a time in Russia' is the story of modern day Russia through the eyes of some of the most powerful and wealthy people in the world: the oligarchs. The story starts in the early 1990s with the formation of the huge oil company Sibneft owned by Roman Abramovich (with help from Boris Berezovsky), and takes the reader right through from Boris Yeltsin's resignation on New Year's Eve of the millennium, Putin's rise to power and Alexander Litvinenko's assassination to Berezkovsky's court case against Abramovich in 2011, which was the largest civil court case in British legal history. Told in an intimate narrative voice that makes you feel part of the action, but at an exhilarating pace that is typical of Mezrich, 'Once upon a time in Russia' is his most hard-hitting and pertinent work yet. The Bestselling Author Of Bringing Down The House (sixty-three Weeks On The New York Times Bestseller List And The Basis For The Hit Movie 21) And The Accidental Billionaires (the Basis For The Academy Award–winning Film The Social Network) Delivers An Epic Drama Of Wealth, Rivalry, And Betrayal Among Mega-wealthy Russian Oligarchs—and Its International Repercussions. Once Upon A Time In Russia Is The Untold True Story Of The Larger-than-life Billionaire Oligarchs Who Surfed The Waves Of Privatization To Reap Riches After The Fall Of The Soviet Regime: “godfather Of The Kremlin” Boris Berezovsky, A Former Mathematician Whose First Entrepreneurial Venture Was Running An Automobile Reselling Business, And Roman Abramovich, His Dashing Young Protégé Who Built A Multi-billion-dollar Empire Of Oil And Aluminum. Locked In A Complex, Uniquely Russian Partnership, Berezovsky And Abramovich Battled Their Way Through The “wild East” Of Russia With Berezovsky Acting As The Younger Man’s Krysha—literally, His Roof, His Protector. Written With The Heart-stopping Pacing Of A Thriller—but Even More Compelling Because It Is True—this Story Of Amassing Obscene Wealth And Power Depicts A Rarefied World Seldom Seen Up Close. Under Berezovsky’s Krysha, Abramovich Built One Of Russia’s Largest Oil Companies From The Ground Up And In Exchange Made Cash Deliveries—including 491 Million Dollars In Just One Year. But Their Relationship Frayed When Berezovsky Attacked President Vladimir Putin In The Media—and Had To Flee To The Uk. Abramovich Continued To Prosper. Dead Bodies Trailed Berezovsky’s Footsteps, And Threats Followed Him To London, Where An Associate Of His Died Painfully And Famously Of Polonium Poisoning. Then Berezovsky Himself Was Later Found Dead, Declared A Suicide. Exclusively Sourced, Capturing A Momentous Period In Recent World History, Once Upon A Time In Russia Is At Once Personal And Political, Offering An Unprecedented Look Into The Wealth, Corruption, And Power Behind What Graydon Carter Called “the Story Of Our Age.” The bestselling author of Bringing Down the House (sixty-three weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and the basis for the hit movie 21) and The Accidental Billionaires (the basis for the Academy Awardwinning film The Social Network ) delivers an epic drama of wealth, rivalry, and betrayal among mega-wealthy Russian oligarchsand its international repercussions. Once Upon a Time in Russia is the untold true story of the larger-than-life billionaire oligarchs who surfed the waves of privatization to reap riches after the fall of the Soviet regime: Godfather of the Kremlin Boris Berezovsky, a former mathematician whose first entrepreneurial venture was running an automobile reselling business, and Roman Abramovich, his dashing young protg who built a multi-billion-dollar empire of oil and aluminum. Locked in a complex, uniquely Russian partnership, Berezovsky and Abramovich battled their way through the Wild East of Russia with Berezovsky acting as the younger mans krysha literally, his roof, his protector. Written with the heart-stopping pacing of a thrillerbut even more compelling because it is truethis story of amassing obscene wealth and power depicts a rarefied world seldom seen up close. Under Berezovskys krysha , Abramovich built one of Russias largest oil companies from the ground up and in exchange made cash deliveriesincluding 491 million dollars in just one year. But their relationship frayed when Berezovsky attacked President Vladimir Putin in the mediaand had to flee to the UK. Abramovich continued to prosper. Dead bodies trailed Berezovskys footsteps, and threats followed him to London, where an associate of his died painfully and famously of Polonium poisoning. Then Berezovsky himself was later found dead, declared a suicide. Exclusively sourced, capturing a momentous period in recent world history, Once Upon a Time in Russia is at once personal and political, offering an unprecedented look into the wealth, corruption, and power behind what Graydon Carter called the story of our age. This is a gripping and shocking insight into the lives of Russia's most famous oligarchs from New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down the House. Once Upon a Time in Russia is the untold true story of the larger-than-life billionaire oligarchs who surfed the waves of privatization to reap riches after the fall of the Soviet regime: "Godfather of the Kremlin" Boris Berezovsky, a former mathematician whose first entrepreneurial venture was running an automobile reselling business, and Roman Abramovich, his dashing young protege who built a multi-billion-dollar empire of oil and aluminium. Locked in a complex, uniquely Russian partnership, Berezovsky and Abramovich battled their way through the "Wild East" of Russia with Berezovsky acting as the younger man's krysha- literally, his roof, his protector. Written with the heart-stopping pacing of a thriller -but even more compelling because it is true - this story of amassing obscene wealth and power depicts a rarefied world seldom seen up close. Under Berezovsky's krysha, Abramovich built one of Russia's largest oil companies from the ground up and in exchange made cash deliveries - including 491 million dollars in just one year. But their relationship frayed when Berezovsky attacked President Vladimir Putin in the media - and had to flee to the UK. Abramovich continued to prosper. Dead bodies trailed Berezovsky's footsteps, and threats followed him to London, where an associate of his died painfully and famously of Polonium poisoning. Then Berezovsky himself was later found dead, declared a suicide. Exclusively sourced, capturing a momentous period in recent world history, Once Upon a Time in Russia is at once personal and political, offering an unprecedented look into the wealth, corruption, and power behind what Graydon Carter called 'the story of our age' The New York Times bestselling author of Bringing Down the House and The Accidental Billionaires tells his most incredible story yet: A true drama of obscene wealth, crime, rivalry, and betrayal from deep inside the world of billionaire Russian oligarchs that Booklist called "one more example of just how talented a storyteller [Mezrich] is." Meet two larger-than-life Russians: former mathematician Boris Berezovsky, who moved into more lucrative ventures as well as politics, becoming known as the Godfather of the Kremlin; and Roman Abramovich, a dashing young entrepreneur who built one of Russia's largest oil companies from the ground up. After a chance meeting on a yacht in the Caribbean, the men became locked in a complex partnership, surfing the waves of privatization after the fall of the Soviet regime and amassing mega fortunes while also taking the reins of power in Russia. With Berezovsky serving as the younger entrepreneur's krysha —literally, his roof, his protector—they battled their way through the "Wild East" of Russia until their relationship soured when Berezovsky attacked President Vladimir Putin in the media. Dead bodies trailed Berezovsky as he escaped to London, where an associate died painfully of Polonium poisoning, creating an international furor. As Abramovich prospered, Berezovsky was found dead in a luxurious London town house, declared a suicide. With unprecedented, exclusive first-person sourcing, Mezrich takes us inside a world of unimaginable wealth, power, and corruption to uncover this exciting story, a true-life thriller epic for our time—" Wolf Hall on the Moskva" ( Bookpage ). Once Upon a Time in Russia is the true story of two larger-than-life billionaire oligarchs who surfed the waves of privatization to reap riches after the fall of the Soviet regime: "Godfather of the Kremlin" Boris Berezovsky, a former mathematician whose first entrepreneurial venture was running an automobile reselling business, and Roman Abramovich, his dashing young protégé who built a multi-billion-dollar empire of oil and aluminum. Locked in a complex, uniquely Russian partnership, Berezovsky and Abramovich battled their way through the "Wild East" of Russia with Berezovsky acting as the younger man's krysha -- literally, his roof, his protector. Under Berezovsky's krysha, Abramovich built one of Russia's largest oil companies from the ground up and in exchange made cash deliveries -- including 491 million dollars in just one year. But their relationship frayed when Berezovsky attacked President Vladimir Putin in the media and had to flee to the UK. Abramovich continued to prosper. Dead bodies trailed Berezovsky's footsteps, and threats followed him to London, where an associate died painfully and famously of Polonium poisoning. Then Berezovsky himself was found dead, declared a suicide