Roman Igorevich Tsepov(July 22, 1962, Kolpino, Leningrad - September 24, 2004, St. Petersburg) - Russian entrepreneur.
Biography
After graduating from school, he worked at the Izhora plant, graduated from the Higher Political School of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, served in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in political positions, then at a research institute. He was dismissed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1990 with the rank of captain. In 1992, he created the security company “Baltic-Escort”, which he headed (registered in April 1993). He guarded senior officials of St. Petersburg, including Mayor Anatoly Sobchak and his family, as well as Deputy Mayor Vladimir Putin, with whom he was credited with close ties. According to Alexander Nevzorov, Roman Tsepov was an embedded employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the criminal world of St. Petersburg and remained so until his death
Criminal activity
Tsepov provided security services to a number of crime bosses, in particular the family of the leader of the “Malyshevskaya” group, Alexander Malyshev, and some members of the “Tambov” group. He was first arrested in 1994 on charges of illegal possession of weapons (rumored to be due to collecting money for licensing a gambling business). Since 1993, he has survived five unsuccessful assassination attempts. Person involved in a number of criminal cases. The last case was opened in March 1998 on charges of extortion of 70 thousand dollars, after which Tsepov temporarily disappeared to the Czech Republic.
Career rise and death
After Vladimir Putin came to power, he became one of the most influential figures in the business and political life of St. Petersburg. He took part in the celebrations of Putin's inauguration.
He was credited with close ties with the Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliyev, the head of the presidential guard Viktor Zolotov (the latter was present at his funeral) and the deputy head of the presidential administration Igor Sechin. It was also alleged that, thanks to his connections, he has an important influence on appointments to the Central Internal Affairs Directorate and the FSB Directorate. Journalists called him a “gray eminence” and a “security oligarch.”
Tsepov himself spoke about the rumors surrounding his name:
For some reason, at all times, Tsepov turned out to be the most convenient figure for rumors. Elections - Tsepov. Criminal cases, tranches, loans, fuel business, security, casino - Tsepov. Personnel changes - me too. The eminence grise must be with the king.
- “Attack of the Gray Cardinals”, [Version in St. Petersburg], June 17, 2002
Family
Daughter Daria Romanovna Tsepova, after the death of her father, married a native of Sudan, Husama Bashir Said Mohamed, and immediately after coming of age, she voluntarily left for the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, 815 thousand euros were withdrawn from Tsepova’s account by fraudsters. Ex-wife Romana Tsepova reported in 2010 that a criminal case had been opened regarding the kidnapping of her daughter.
Write a review of the article "Tsepov, Roman Igorevich"
Notes
Links
An excerpt characterizing Tsepov, Roman Igorevich
The plate did not seem clean to him; he pointed to the spot and threw it. Tikhon picked it up and handed it to the barman. The little princess was not unwell; but she was so insurmountably afraid of the prince that, having heard how out of sorts he was, she decided not to go out.“I’m afraid for the child,” she said to m lle Bourienne, “God knows what can happen from fright.”
In general, the little princess lived in Bald Mountains constantly under a feeling of fear and antipathy towards the old prince, which she was not aware of, because fear was so dominant that she could not feel it. There was also antipathy on the part of the prince, but it was drowned out by contempt. The princess, having settled down in the Bald Mountains, especially fell in love with m lle Bourienne, spent her days with her, asked her to spend the night with her, and often talked to her about her father-in-law and judged him.
“Il nous arrive du monde, mon prince,” said M lle Bourienne, unrolling a white napkin with her pink hands. “Son excellence le prince Kouraguine avec son fils, a ce que j"ai entendu dire? [His Excellency Prince Kuragin with his son, how much have I heard?],” she said questioningly.
“Hm... this boy of excellence... I assigned him to the college,” the prince said offended. “Why son, I can’t understand.” Princess Lizaveta Karlovna and Princess Marya may know; I don’t know why he’s bringing this son here. I don't need it. – And he looked at his blushing daughter.
- Unwell, or what? Out of fear of the minister, as that idiot Alpatych said today.
- No, mon pere. [father.]
No matter how unsuccessfully M lle Bourienne found herself on the subject of conversation, she did not stop and chatted about greenhouses, about the beauty of a new blossoming flower, and the prince softened after the soup.
After dinner he went to his daughter-in-law. The little princess sat at a small table and chatted with Masha, the maid. She turned pale when she saw her father-in-law.
The little princess has changed a lot. She was more bad than good now. The cheeks sank, the lip rose upward, the eyes were drawn downwards.
“Yes, it’s some kind of heaviness,” she answered when the prince asked what she felt.
- Do you need anything?
- No, merci, mon pere. [Thank you, father.]
- Well, okay, okay.
He went out and walked to the waitress. Alpatych stood in the waiter's room with his head bowed.
– Is the road blocked?
- Zakidana, your Excellency; Forgive me, for God's sake, for one stupidity.
The prince interrupted him and laughed his unnatural laugh.
- Well, okay, okay.
He extended his hand, which Alpatych kissed, and walked into the office.
In the evening Prince Vasily arrived. He was met at the prespekt (that's the name of the avenue) by coachmen and waiters, who shouted and drove his carts and sleighs to the outbuilding along a road deliberately covered with snow.
Prince Vasily and Anatoly were given separate rooms.
Anatole sat, having taken off his doublet and resting his hands on his hips, in front of the table, at the corner of which he, smiling, fixed his beautiful large eyes intently and absent-mindedly. He looked upon his entire life as a continuous amusement that someone like that for some reason had undertaken to arrange for him. Now he looked at his trip to the evil old man and the rich ugly heiress in the same way. All this could have turned out, he supposed, very well and funny. Why not marry if she is very rich? It never interferes, Anatole thought.
He shaved, perfumed himself with care and panache, which had become his habit, and with his innate good-natured, victorious expression, holding his handsome head high, he entered his father’s room. Two valets were busy around Prince Vasily, dressing him; He himself looked around animatedly and nodded cheerfully to his son as he entered, as if he were saying: “So, that’s exactly what I need you for!”
- No, no joke, father, is she very ugly? A? – he asked, as if continuing a conversation he had had more than once during the trip.
- That's enough. Nonsense! The main thing is to try to be respectful and reasonable with the old prince.
“If he scolds, I’ll leave,” said Anatole. “I can’t stand these old people.” A?
– Remember that everything depends on this for you.
At this time, the arrival of the minister with his son was not only known in the maid’s room, but appearance both of them have already been described in detail. Princess Marya sat alone in her room and tried in vain to overcome her inner agitation.
“Why did they write, why did Lisa tell me about this? After all, this cannot be! - she said to herself, looking in the mirror. - How do I get out into the living room? Even if I liked him, I couldn’t be on my own with him now.” The thought of her father's gaze terrified her.
The little princess and m lle Bourienne had already received all the necessary information from the maid Masha about what a ruddy, black-browed handsome minister's son was, and about how daddy dragged them with force to the stairs, and he, like an eagle, walking three steps at a time, ran after him. Having received this information, the little princess and M lle Bourienne, still audible from the corridor in their animated voices, entered the princess’s room.
– Ils sont arrives, Marieie, [They arrived, Marie,] do you know? - said the little princess, wobbling her belly and sitting heavily on the chair.
She was no longer in the blouse in which she had sat in the morning, but she was wearing one of her best dresses; her head was carefully adorned, and there was a liveliness on her face, which, however, did not hide the drooping and deadened contours of her face. In the attire in which she usually wore to social gatherings in St. Petersburg, it was even more noticeable how much she had looked worse. M lle Bourienne also unnoticed some improvement in her outfit, which made her pretty, fresh face even more attractive.
– Eh bien, et vous restez comme vous etes, chere princesse? – she spoke. – On va venir annoncer, que ces messieurs sont au salon; il faudra descendre, et vous ne faites pas un petit brin de toilette! [Well, are you still wearing what you were wearing, princess? Now they will come to say that they are out. We’ll have to go downstairs, but at least you’ll dress up a little!]
The little princess rose from her chair, called the maid and hastily and cheerfully began to come up with an outfit for Princess Marya and put it into execution. Princess Marya felt insulted in her sense of self-worth by the fact that the arrival of her promised groom worried her, and she was even more insulted by the fact that both of her friends did not even imagine that it could be otherwise. To tell them how ashamed she was for herself and for them was to betray her anxiety; Moreover, to refuse the outfit that was offered to her would have led to lengthy jokes and insistence. She flushed, her beautiful eyes went out, her face became covered with spots, and with that ugly expression of victim that most often settled on her face, she surrendered to the power of m lle Bourienne and Lisa. Both women cared quite sincerely about making her beautiful. She was so bad that not one of them could think of competing with her; therefore, quite sincerely, with that naive and firm conviction of women that an outfit can make a face beautiful, they set about dressing her.
“No, really, ma bonne amie, [my good friend], this dress is not good,” said Lisa, looking sideways at the princess from afar. - Tell me to serve, you have masaka there. Right! Well, this may be the fate of life is being decided. And this is too light, not good, no, not good!
The verdict of the London court in the case of the murder of Alexander Litvinenko with the help of polonium-210 forced participants in the events of the 90s to recall the story of the death of the St. Petersburg “gray eminence” Roman Tsepov, who died on September 24, 2004 as a result of poisoning.
Experts and journalists noted the similarity of the symptoms of the illness of Alexander Litvinenko and Roman Tsepov. And intelligence service historian Boris Volodarsky, on Radio Liberty in 2009, expressed confidence in the murder of Roman Tsepov “undoubtedly by radioactive poison,” calling his death on par with the murder of Anna Politkovskaya and the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.
Today we will remember what the “gray eminence of St. Petersburg” Roman Tsepov was like. Our guest is a journalist, general director of the “Operational Cover” information department.
Experts and journalists noted the similarity of the symptoms of the illness of Alexander Litvinenko and Roman Tsepov
– Kirill, in 1996 you began publishing “Operational Cover,” a magazine of private security companies, which published analytical articles on the criminal situation in St. Petersburg. What made you decide to publish such a magazine?
– The idea to cover the criminal and near-criminal situation in St. Petersburg arose earlier. It had to mature because few believed that this project could survive, and few wanted to invest money in it. We had to look for investors, and fundamentally we didn’t want to confine ourselves to some criminal cohorts. The search for such people lasted throughout 1995, and then we found them, and the magazine was created. Initially, its editorial staff included people who came from the editorial office of Delovoy Peterburg. And we found support for the magazine, completely unexpectedly for ourselves, from the security company Komkon, which was non-standard at that time, non-standard - because its founders were two generals and three warrant officers of the KGB, and from different units (I will not name their names). They found our project interesting. They found the funds to publish the first issue of the magazine. Of course, by that time we had certain developments, there was an unconditional understanding of what was happening in the city, knowledge that there were clans in the city, we had experience, since I had previously worked in the “Defense” association, I myself had encountered various conflicts situations. Present general understanding who is behind what and behind whom, who is locked into what. This project did not start from scratch.
– By 1996, the criminal situation in St. Petersburg had stabilized somewhat. The “shooters”, the shooting of competitors, the gang violence, the “lawlessness of the frostbitten,” as it was called, stopped. So these are calm times?
All the security forces “protected” someone during non-working hours, because the state paid them very little and it was impossible to live on this money
“They quieted down a little.” And it often seemed to me that we would have to write about what has already passed: about the formation of some kind of civilized security business, about how “brave guys” from among former law enforcement officers or simply conscientious citizens would protect the peace and quiet of our nascent business, to help our, still incomprehensible at that time, law enforcement system. Plus, at that time the first Chechen war was in full swing - this factor must also be taken into account. In addition, it was clear that all the security forces were “protecting someone” during non-working hours, earning their own money, because the state paid them very little and it was impossible to live on this money.
We really felt like we were going to write about this. But everything turned out wrong, because the “third phase of the 90s,” as I call it, began. It’s difficult for me to say what it was connected with - perhaps with the redistribution of the redistribution. Or perhaps because the state has already determined its approaches and began to divide medium and large businesses. Nobody was involved in raiding in the mid-90s, but towards the end of the 90s, raider takeovers began (though they weren’t called raiders then, but the division began). They took the perimeters of large enterprises, entered enterprises, took away seals, replaced directors, etc. A redistribution of a completely different nature began. And we also fell into it: those people about whom we, one way or another, wrote, for the most part were involved in all these schemes due to the fact that someone was guarding someone, someone was taking care of someone, someone seemed to have already retired, but they dragged him back into it, etc.
We had a good time working in the 90s. We had many sources
We had a good time working in the 90s. We had many sources. It was favorable time. In the end, we managed to attract the most influential and well-known security companies in St. Petersburg under the banner of “Operational Cover”. And they used us not only as their resource, but also as a kind of negotiation platform where people who had controversial, problematic relationships could come and calmly drink tea. It was a place where opponents could come. It was good. I believe that we managed to extinguish a sufficient number of conflicts, even though we were not security forces, but journalists. Those were good times.
– How did the figure of Roman Tsepov appear on your horizon?
– It was probably February or early March 1996. My “Operational Cover” partners offered to introduce me to one person “with whom it is impossible to communicate.” I was amazed: “That is?” They said that the man was peculiar. I've already heard about him. He had some problems with the Chechens, some story with the division of Apraksin Dvor, and something else. But you never know what anyone had! They offered me to meet him and at the same time they told me that nothing would come of this acquaintance anyway. At this point a professional thought came to my mind: “Come on, introduce me!” They gave me a phone number. I called. A man responded, apparently of a strange character. He answered in a completely inhuman, hoarse and unnatural voice. This was, of course, a pretense. It was theater, a mask.
A tiny office and an incomprehensible person. Not large, without “oblique fathoms in the shoulders.” Glasses on the nose. Novel
The man told me to come and talk and gave me the address. I came. My God! Some kind of passageway, neither this nor that, dirty... But the foreign cars that stood at the entrance, of course, amazed me - they were cool... The entrance to a residential entrance, somewhere in the basement... Some kind of gateways, littered with some kind of tires . All this, of course, did not at all resemble a reputable security company. There was a feeling that this was some kind of get-together, for which three retired colonels gathered to guard some kind of grocery store.
A tiny office and an incomprehensible person. Not large, without “oblique fathoms in the shoulders.” Glasses on the nose. Novel. But, surprisingly, we talked for about fifteen minutes, and it became so easy for us to communicate! I don't know why, but we started contact. We sat and drank tea. This, in fact, was the beginning. We communicated often, closely, and already in the process of communication the details of various stories became known - about the same Seaport of St. Petersburg, about different people. And I am very glad that we never had a serious business relationship. I valued, above all, the opportunity to communicate.
By the way, today, perhaps, there would be neither "Fontanka.ru" nor "AZHUR" in St. Petersburg, because when in 1997 the newspaper "Advertising-Chance" decided that they did not need "Fontanka.ru" and " AZHUR", their current leaders came to me, and we negotiated for them to join our "Operational Cover" structure. But, unfortunately, the guys’ appetites were so high that it was too much for them to do, and then they found other opportunities, but for a while. The moment came when Andrei Konstantinov asked me to introduce him to Roman Tsepov: he was unable to contact him himself. I went to Roman, and he asked: “Why do I need this?” And so on two more times. Andrey continued to insist on getting to know each other. I felt embarrassed. In general, in the end I introduced them. And this, in fact, after some time became a salvation for “AZHUR”, since Roman became a source of financial investments, which raised them.
We were just talking. We had no financial relationship. He could just call me when he wanted, and I could call him when I wanted
And we were just talking. We had no financial relationship. He could just call me when he wanted, and I could call him when I wanted. We met in his office, and somewhere else where they grilled kebabs, I could come to his home. At that time I was without a car, and he often gave me a ride home. Such relations were certainly correct at that time. I have already heard a lot about this man, both good and bad. Someone got to know him through me, someone tried to negotiate something with him through our platform...
Roman Tsepov was one of the most influential figures in St. Petersburg at that time
– Roman Tsepov was one of the most influential figures in St. Petersburg at that time. Employees of his Baltic Escort agency guarded Anatoly Sobchak and Vladimir Putin. He had affairs with Viktor Zolotov, Igor Sechin and other high-ranking officials. On the eve of his death, he was engaged, for example, in resolving the conflict between the authorities and YUKOS. From the very beginning of your acquaintance with Roman, did you feel his influence on the current government in St. Petersburg?
- Why did you feel it? I knew it. This was expressed at least in the fact that they called him. You can play anything, but it’s impossible to play a series of phone calls like that. We were drinking tea, and calls rang out, a variety of people called (we won’t name their names), I heard conversations. I knew something about Roman’s movements both then and later, when power changed in the Kremlin. This was not a revelation for me. A couple of times he helped us free of charge when we were under pressure. To solve such problems, a few calls or meetings were enough for him. But I took it quite calmly. For me, he was not a man from some other world, with a crown on his head. Who cares? Someone is somehow communicating with someone...
On the eve of his death, he was engaged in resolving the conflict between the authorities and Yukos.
– One interview that Roman Tsepov gave you in 2003 is considered by many to be a death sentence that he signed for himself. In this interview for Gorod magazine, he talks about how he met Vladimir Putin back in 1994. Here is a quote: "... Vice-Mayor Putin was not entitled to state security by status, although he was in charge of the privatization of the Baltic Shipping Company, where the murder of the head had just been committed. The mayor's office entered into an official agreement with Baltic Escort. I allocated security guards who were capable ensure the personal safety of this person... And about the commercial connection between us - complete nonsense.” How can you comment on this?
To solve problems, a few calls or meetings were enough for him
– In fact, all interviews with Roman were done by me. He was a very private person, did not want to communicate with journalists and, on principle, did not give interviews to anyone. I called him periodically and offered to talk. We apparently had some kind of thread of trust. After some resistance, he agreed, and we talked.
By the way, I had a serious conflict with him. We had a huge fight for six months. This was due to one interview in which it was said that while he was guarding Vladimir Putin, there were no attempts on his life. At first, German journalists asked for this, and we did interviews for them, but I sat next to them. And Gorod magazine very actively asked me to do this interview with Roman. They tried themselves, but they didn’t succeed. At that time, Putin was already president—I think it was already 2002. They wanted to interview the man who was guarding the future president. I convinced Roman for a long time until he agreed. But he set a condition: it can be published only after he has endorsed the text, because there are points that he needs to agree on from a security point of view. I understood perfectly well that these were issues of a state nature - some points needed to be tested by time, something would have to be changed in the future.
We agreed with him. We had a good, big, frank conversation. The magazine "City" called me impatiently to find out how things were going. They asked if the interview had been agreed upon. I confirmed, but noted that there was one condition. “Well, if it’s agreed, can we get it?” – asked the guys from “City”. I gave them the text, but asked them not to put it in the room, to wait, so as not to let me down. And they delivered.
He was a very private person, did not want to communicate with journalists and, as a matter of principle, did not give interviews to anyone
An irritated Roman called me from Moscow, shouting, asking how much they paid me, why I did it, saying: “Is this really more important to you than our relationship?” I told him that I gave the guys the text and warned them not to put it in the room, but they didn’t listen to me. Roman was very offended by me. Then a parliamentarian from him came to me, very big man(I won’t mention his name, he is no longer alive). He also asked why I did it. I made excuses as best I could.
We didn’t communicate with Roman for about six months. Then he called one day and invited me to have tea. So we restored the relationship. In his first interview in 1996, it is already said that he “protects the business of the city fathers,” and at that time the “city fathers” were absolutely specific people, and in that interview he openly says that he has relationships with them. I think that this first interview, which he gave when we met him, “weighs” much more. The interview in the Gorod magazine, compared to the first one, was already the “icing on the cake”. This 100% could not be the reason for its elimination.
We saw him shortly before his death. At the end of August 2004, I called him, but didn’t get through. I called at the beginning of September. Silence. Silence. Silence. I somehow didn’t understand, because Roman didn’t have the habit of disappearing somewhere. If he was busy, one of his employees could answer; someone was always on the phone. He could call back. And here there is complete silence. And now I won’t say exactly what date it was - maybe the fourth or fifth of September, but I got through to him. He was very tired. He invited me, I came. He said that television wanted to film him - they were making a film about the university where he studied. Roman didn’t want to act, but I managed to persuade him. This was his last short video message (it, however, did not go anywhere).
Roman sits all grey. I ask: "Why do you look so bad?" He says: "Yes, I'm very tired"
And Roman sits all grey. I ask: "Why do you look so bad?" He says: “Yes, I’m very tired. I just came from Beslan.” - “What were you doing there?” - “You know what happened there.” - “Yes, I know, but what were you doing there?” - “Well, I was called to come there and deal with certain issues. We have a head of state who called.” Roman returned from there and was in really bad shape.
He asked me: “Listen, I need an analysis of the situation in St. Petersburg. What analytical materials do you have? We need to see that there is nothing like this (Beslan) here.” I say: “Roma, I have some experience on this topic, because every day I analyze threats - various, including theoretical ones. There are many sources of information - certain agents, etc., including in diasporas. Come on ", I'll ask around, maybe I'll find out what? Maybe one of the strangers is walking here, wandering around, maybe something else... And when do you need it?" He says: “It’s better to do it quickly. You understand, the situation is such that another school, and especially here, no one needs it.”
He said he would get through, he didn't need help. I wished him to get well soon. And a few days later he died
I agreed. Met with different people, I found out: everything seems to be calm, nothing like this is expected. I collected information, called him and offered to meet. And he asked me to write all this on a piece of paper and bring it to the office. I again offered to see him. He said that he was not feeling well and went to the hospital. I took the document to the office. After some time, he called again and asked how he was feeling. He replied that he felt worse, very badly. And it was already mid-September. I asked if I needed help. He said he would get through, he didn't need help. I wished him to get well soon. And a few days later he died.
– There are many versions of the murder of Roman Tsepov. Which version are you leaning towards?
“No interview, even the most frank, could have caused his departure so quickly, especially considering who and how he flew to Beslan. And shortly before he passed away, he continued to communicate with the president. No, it seems to me that there is a completely different story there. Many versions have been put forward. Our airwaves are not enough to voice them all. You can agree with some of them, and not with some.
Roman has embarked on a path that does not end well. In fact, he became a person for solving problematic problems
In general, at some point Roman embarked on a path that does not end well. And despite the fact that he was posthumously awarded the rank of major general, despite everything else, it is clear that this path was very dangerous, because in fact he became a person for solving problematic problems. This happens sometimes. We don't choose our destiny. But he found himself at the forefront of some major conflicts, each of the participants in which had certain capabilities, and anyone whose tail he “stepped on” could be interested in eliminating him, could pay, organize a murder. And as far as I know from conversations, that year he had many intersections on various issues, including with our oligarchs, current and no longer current. And each of them could have a hand in this.
That year he had many conflicts on various issues, including with our oligarchs. And each of them could have a hand in this
But who eliminated him? Who needed it? Now I will say something that I have never said openly before. Not long ago I had the opportunity to communicate with a person who may be involved in his elimination. On my voice recorder I have an absolutely clearly stated story about where they went, what they took, who they came to, where they got the drug, in what form it was present, who it was given to for elimination, etc. I don't know how true this is, I haven't checked it yet. But in general, I don’t understand very well how this can be verified, because the criminal case has been closed, suspended, despite the fact that Roman’s parents (and I often meet with them) were not given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with this case.
All our attempts to find this criminal case and get acquainted with it were unsuccessful. All our requests receive incomprehensible answers that it is either in Moscow, or in St. Petersburg, or somewhere else. In general, it cannot be found. Therefore, I don’t understand very well how you can check the information that I wrote down, although all the names and surnames are there.
All our attempts to find this criminal case and get acquainted with it were unsuccessful.
The concentration of knowledge about many matters in one person and his direct participation in many problematic situations sooner or later, unfortunately, was bound to lead to such a result. That's all.
– It is clear that you cannot yet talk about the contents of the recording, much less present it to us. But you can answer one question: was it a political murder?
Famous Russian representative security business. Known as Putin's bodyguard. Many believe that his activities were connected with crime.
Biography of Tsepov
Tsepov Roman was born in Leningrad in 1962. He graduated from school in the Kolpino region. Having received secondary education, he immediately went to work. He received his first money as a laborer at the Izhora plant.
Then the hero of our article entered the Higher Political School, which was based under the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. He served in the internal troops and held various political positions. Afterwards he worked at a research institute.
He was dismissed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1990 with the rank of captain.
Security activities
Since 1992, Roman Tsepov has been engaged in private business. He founded a security company called Baltic Escort. Becomes its immediate supervisor. However, the enterprise was officially registered only in the spring of 1993.
His company worked in St. Petersburg and managed to conclude contracts for the protection of senior officials of the local municipal government. Among the people whom Roman Tsepov personally guarded were the mayor of the northern capital, Anatoly Sobchak, and his deputy, the future President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Subsequently, he was credited with close ties and relationships with these politicians. For example, the famous journalist Alexander Nevzorov claimed that the security guard Roman Tsepov was introduced into the criminal world of St. Petersburg by the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the same time, he was their freelance employee. He remained in this position until his death.
Connections in the underworld
Many researchers note the connections of the hero of our article with the criminal world. They note that his company provided assistance to a number of crime bosses. For example, close to one of the leaders of the Malyshev group, Alexander Malyshev, who operated in St. Petersburg from the late 80s to the mid-90s. This criminal group included about two thousand people. They were involved in racketeering, pimping, drug trafficking, contract killings, arms trafficking and extortion.
Tsepova also worked with the Tambov group, which existed until the early 2000s.
Tsepov first came to the attention of law enforcement agencies in 1994. He was arrested for illegal possession of a weapon. According to one version, the reason was the collection of money for licensing the gambling business. In the 90s, attempts were made on his life at least five times. He was involved in several serious criminal cases.
The last one was brought against Tsepov in 1998. He was accused of extorting $70,000. Immediately after information appeared about the interest of investigative authorities in him, Tsepov left for the Czech Republic.
Career rise
Roman Igorevich Tsepov, whose biography in the 90s was associated with security activities, went uphill in the early 2000s. After Vladimir Putin came to power in the country, whom he protected back in the Moscow mayor's office.
At this time, he became one of the most influential personalities in the political and business life of St. Petersburg. For example, he participates in celebrations on the occasion of the presidential inauguration.
Various sources believed that he was closely associated with Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev. And also the head of the presidential security, Viktor Zolotov. Zolotov himself even attended his funeral. Roman Tsepov had connections in the most influential circles. The friends of the hero of our article are the deputy head of the presidential administration and major officials.
According to some information, thanks to his contacts and connections, he had a direct influence on the appointments of top officials in Federal service security and air traffic control.
Media representatives called him an eminence grise Russian politics and the most influential guard of the oligarchs. Tsepov himself called all these conversations nothing more than rumors. He considered it incorrect that his name was constantly associated with criminal cases, suspicious tranches, dubious gambling and security businesses, as well as influence on personnel issues in law enforcement agencies.
Death of a Security Guard
In 2004, Tsepov died suddenly. This year he tried to mediate in resolving sensitive issues between the government Russian Federation and the large oil company Yukos. He believed that his connections would help resolve any issues.
On September 11, he suddenly felt unwell and was hospitalized. Two weeks later, Tsepov died. The investigation concluded that he was poisoned.
Representatives of funds mass media They suspected that radiation sickness was developing so rapidly, and noted the similarity of the symptoms of the hero of our article with Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with polonium.
For example, the authoritative historian of the Russian special services, Boris Volodarsky, wrote about this. In 2009, he claimed that Tsepov was poisoned with radioactive poison. And he put his murder on a par with the poisoning of Litvinenko and the murder of Nezavisimaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
The life and death of Roman Tsepov raised many questions throughout his life. He found peace at the Serafimovskoye cemetery. The parents of Russian President Vladimir Putin are buried next to him.
Tsepov family
Tsepov has a daughter named Daria. After her father's death she got married. Her chosen one was Hussam Bashir Said Mohamed, a citizen of Sudan. She met him in the United Arab Emirates, where she left as soon as she turned 18.
It is noteworthy that at the same time, more than eight hundred thousand euros disappeared from Tsepov’s accounts. In 2010, his ex-wife asked to open a criminal case in connection with the kidnapping of her daughter. However, it did not end anywhere.
Today, his huge country estate is surrounded by waist-deep grass. Once upon a time, Roman built this dacha, wanting to receive only those closest to him there. There are fragments left of the former empire, which was created from scratch by the former political officer of the Internal Troops. But even ten years ago, someone was looking for a meeting with the powerful Roman Tsepov by any means, while others tried to do everything just not to get in his way. Yesterday, July 22, one of Vladimir Putin’s most trusted confidants would have turned fifty years old...
It’s even hard for me to imagine how this anniversary would be celebrated. The strange death of Roman Tsepov in September 2004 has remained a mystery - the materials of the criminal case are still classified. The same, in many ways secret, was his life - a native of the industrial outskirts, who entered the world under the name Beilenson. He was immediately baptized in the Alexander Nevsky Church in Izhora. But a cross is a cross, and at that time a person’s fate was determined by the fifth count, and with such an origin only a few could dream of a good career.
The main thing is to know physics
Upon admission to Leningrad State University, Roman Beilenson was immediately rejected. They quietly said after him: don’t even try with your last name. Therefore, as his mother Tamara Makarovna recalls, yesterday’s graduate went to work as a mechanic at the Izhora plant. And not to his father’s workshop, where Beilenson Sr. worked as a mechanic. He came home grimy, his hands up to his elbows in machine oil. And the next year I decided to become a cadet at the Higher Political School named after the 60th anniversary of the Komsomol of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR.
And then an incident arose. Passed all exams successfully. But he threw the grenade the wrong way and ran the hundred-meter race slower than expected. And when it turned out that Roman Beilenson wore glasses, the head of physical training made the final verdict: he should not be an officer, because he would not be able to cope with a gas mask.
To which the applicant, who did not have a giant physique, but had an intelligent mind, remarked before the formation something like the following: “You are not in harmony with the laws of physics, the windows fog up when leaving a cold room into a warm one.” And the savvy Beilenson was included in the list of cadets.
Scout Uncle Sasha
Roman dreamed of working in intelligence since childhood. The husband of my father's cousin, Igor Abramovich, was the first secretary of the Soviet embassy in Finland. Although Uncle Sasha was considered a diplomat, he sometimes told his grown-up nephew not only what was said in the textbooks. After such conversations, the future security oligarch acquired a craving for weapons throughout his life.
And he received his first shooting skills thanks to the school military instructor, whom Roman’s classmates called Gingerbread. After some time, Beilenson became the school's shooting champion. But one day, so as not to turn up his nose, his mother, a police doctor, shot him on a dare. By the way, when she later turned to the personnel with a request to change cadet Beilenson’s last name to her maiden name - Tsepov, they were surprised: “How did you, bearing your husband’s last name, end up in the police?” “Yes, I climbed over the fence and ended up,” she grinned.
Tamara, a medical school graduate, married the dapper Igor Beilenson, who had just been demobilized from the border troops. Then even the revolutionary grandmother was surprised why she, without fear, signed up for a new surname, and such a one at that. But the Beilensons lived together in harmony for half a century, quietly celebrating their “golden” wedding last year.
Junior officer Tsepov
After graduating from college, Lieutenant Tsepov went to serve in Valdai. There, for the first time, he almost said goodbye to his shoulder straps. It turned out that the political officer paved the territory of the military unit and glazed the wind-swept soldiers' barracks using building materials that were allocated for the reconstruction of the colony. For the sake of further service, I had to say goodbye to my wedding suit, and also turn to my parents for help, who sent me money.
After Valdai there was Kingisepp. In 1987, Senior Lieutenant Tsepov was involved in a serious car accident - a dump truck with a trailer entered his car at full speed. The ambulance thought it wouldn't make it. Both participants in the accident were operated on at the Volosovsky district hospital. As luck would have it, at this time the lights went out. Roman Tsepov had his leg drilled with a hand drill. Then the elder was shackled from neck to toe in plaster and sent to the 442nd district military hospital for further treatment.
It was July. The first thing Tamara Makarovna saw when she entered her son’s room was the stumped people on the adjacent beds. Roman refused to lie with senior officers and agreed to the soldiers’ “Afghan” ward. For some reason they were fed last. As Tamara Makarovna recalls, food was delivered from right to left, and the “Afghans” lay on the far left. Either the nurse was impressed by Tamara Beilenson’s doctor’s uniform, or simply by her demanding tone, but the next day the order of dispensing food was reversed. At this point Roman begged: Mom, let’s do this at least every other day, it’s embarrassing in front of the neighbors...
Start with the letter "A"
Roman began his adult life with the letter “A”. He proudly scribbled it right on the door of the wardrobe - stick, stick and partition. In much the same way, trusting only his own intuition, reserve captain Tsepov decided to engage in the private security business. The Baltic Escort company he recently founded celebrated its twentieth anniversary. Among Roman Tsepov's first clients were Anatoly Sobchak, the family of the St. Petersburg mayor and first deputy mayor Vladimir Putin. Even then, to the question: are you a diplomat or a warrior, he answered - it’s fifty-fifty, or one hundred-hundred.
Vladimir Putin was not entitled to state protection, but danger began to lurk for the future President of Russia as soon as he decided to find out what was happening with the privatization of the Baltic Shipping Company. Roman Tsepov’s bodyguards were inexpensive for the vice mayor - about $500, which went directly to the salaries of two Baltic Escort employees. Bodyguarding was still prohibited, so the contract spelled out at length “protection of public order in the places where V.V. Putin is staying.” .
In the security business, Roman Tsepov has perhaps reached the highest heights. He was known as a merciless, but extremely professional person who was ready to defend his clients to the end. Tsepov’s odiousness knew no bounds, and therefore in St. Petersburg he was considered to be “watching” from Putin, and in Moscow they said in a low voice that the former political officer was carrying out the most delicate orders of the Kremlin. They shot at him several times and tried to blow him up, but it seemed impossible to eliminate the security oligarch by force. Tsepov’s name was heard when it came to political and economic conflicts on a national scale.
However, for his children he remained just a dad, and for his parents - a son, whom they saw less and less. And mom was in a hurry to fry mushrooms and potatoes for his arrival.
And also candy. Roman loved them since childhood. One day Tamara Makarovna poured sweets into a large box, placing it on the same wardrobe. And when a couple of months later I reached for it, it was empty. A disheveled Roman, smearing away his tears, only repeated doomedly: “Kill me, mom, but I couldn’t resist...” Years later, seeing off her son, who had stopped by for a short time, Tamara Makarovna found only empty candy wrappers in a bowl of sweets served with tea...
He was killed after arriving from Beslan. Poisoned with a potent drug for the treatment of leukemia, since the bullet didn’t kill me. Within two weeks the bone marrow was destroyed. But if Roman Tsepov were alive, Vladimir Putin would probably invite him to his current inauguration, as well as to the previous ones...
Secret decree
Even his relatives do not know that four days before his death Roman Tsepov was awarded the special rank of police major general by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation. This was not heard during the magnificent funeral of the security oligarch and was kept in the strictest confidence for several years after he passed away. Very few people know about the conferment of the rank of general, except that Tsepov was awarded the Order of Courage and “For Services to the Fatherland”, IV degree. Not to mention other state awards.
For some reason I remember how, back in 1996, his glasses sparkling, he said: “As for whether I’m a FSB person or a GRU, CIA, PGU... Let’s do it this way. Everyone has their secrets. I won’t say: no, I’m not a “cop guy.” Time will pass, maybe someone will find out something. What, in fact, is hidden under the guise... But I have nothing to do with the “office”: my controversial past and vile character get in the way...”
But on this anniversary I would so like to address him: “Happy Birthday, Comrade General!”
The violent death of the general director of the St. Petersburg security company Baltic-Escort, Roman Tsepov, gave rise to a lot of rumors and speculation about the possible mastermind of this murder. And if you remember that Tsepov has been called the “gray eminence” of St. Petersburg in the last few years, then it is not difficult to assume that with his departure to another world one can expect serious changes in the balance of power both in business and criminal structures, and in law enforcement agencies of St. Petersburg .
Dossier:
Roman Tsepov. Real surname Beilenson (he became Tsepov by taking his wife’s surname). Born in 1962 in Leningrad. He worked as a mechanic at the Izhora plant. Then he graduated from the Higher Military Command School of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Served in the internal troops. In the early 90s, he quit his job and created the private security company Baltic-Escort, whose employees protected, among other things, the wife of the then St. Petersburg mayor Lyudmila Narusova and his daughter Ksenia, as well as some vice-mayors, in particular, Sobchak’s deputy for foreign economic affairs connections of Vladimir Putin. The security of Sobchak himself was provided by FSO officer Viktor Zolotoe, sent to St. Petersburg from Moscow. He, according to some sources, helped Tsepov in his commercial activities. Using the patronage of the mayor and his deputies. Tsepov received monopoly rights to provide security services to cruise ships coming to St. Petersburg and show business stars touring in the Northern capital. Also, among the clients of Baltic Escort at one time were some “reputable” entrepreneurs and their structures. In particular, Tsepov’s subordinates for some time protected the family of Alexander Malyshev (considered the leader of one of the most powerful “Malyshevskaya organized crime groups” in the mid-90s); were accompanied by cars of the Neva-Trans enterprise (the founders of the company were people close to the Tambov criminal community).
How it was
Roman Igorevich Tsepov died on September 24, 2004 in the hospital named after. Sverdlov in St. Petersburg. As we learned from sources in law enforcement agencies, Tsepov’s health condition deteriorated sharply on September 11. For some time, doctors could not diagnose Peter’s “gray cardinal” disease. He was admitted to one of the regional hospitals. On September 22, Tsepov was transported to the hospital named after. Sverdlov, from where they were later to be transported to Germany for treatment. However, the disease acquired irreversible consequences and affected the bone marrow.
Almost immediately after the autopsy of the body and the appearance of the first results of the medical examination, information appeared in the media about the causes of Tsepov’s death. Doctors were able to establish that Putin’s former security guard died from poisoning with a medical drug that is used to treat leukemia. Journalists hastened to declare that Tsepov was poisoned with a large dose of medication.
However, as we have learned, a large dose of this medication in a single dose rarely leads to death. As some experts specify, this drug tends to accumulate in the body to a critical mass. And it not only accumulates, but even in minimal quantities acts at the molecular level. Well, when the drug content reaches critical...
Currently, according to our information, the investigation has a medical report, from which it follows that Tsepov took the drug every day for at least three months. This conclusion allows us to make the assumption that someone from the deceased’s inner circle participated in the elimination of Tsepov.
It is known that in last years Tsepov had problems with the cardiovascular system. He even traveled to Germany several times, where he underwent examinations in one of the best German clinics. It is quite possible that during one of the visits the attending physician prescribed Tsepov some medicine that had to be taken every day. Well, someone from Tsepov’s entourage replaced one pill with another.
Be that as it may, the main question has not yet been clarified: whether Tsepov’s elimination was ordered by the opponents of the deceased, or whether the crime was of a domestic nature. For example, a woman's revenge...
Who benefits from the death of the former security guard of Vladimir Putin himself? It turned out to be a lot. During his life, Roman Tsepov managed to acquire almost global influence on the law enforcement agencies of St. Petersburg, which could not please a fairly large circle of businessmen, officials and representatives of the law enforcement agencies of St. Petersburg. And in Lately his ambitions went far beyond the boundaries of the “second capital”. According to sources in the same law enforcement agencies, Tsepov, in the last years of his life, tried to become a kind of “settler” in serious conflicts already at the federal level.
Khovanov and Khodorkovsky
At the beginning of the summer of this year, information appeared in some media that Roman Tsepov invited the YUKOS management to act as an intermediary between the Russian government and the company. Allegedly, Tsepov, through the remaining Yukos shareholders, offered Mikhail Khodorkovsky a deal. The head of YUKOS transfers all the assets of his empire to the named Tsepov people, and in exchange receives freedom and the opportunity to leave the country.
According to rumors, the disgraced oligarch refused. However, after Tsepov’s death, new information appeared. It is quite possible that an agreement did take place. It has long been known that Tsepov was protected by the all-powerful head of the presidential security, Viktor Zolotov. And theoretically, Tsepov could really act as an intermediary between the oligarch and the government. This is where the rumor arose that, having received payment for his mediation services, Tsepov... “forgot” to fulfill what he promised.” For which he paid.
By the way, some employees of the St. Petersburg Organized Crime Control Department (the old staff) note that Roman Tsepov indeed often acted as a mediator between conflicting or even warring groups and business structures. But until this year, no one spoke about the fact that Tsepov began to interfere in conflicts at the federal level. It is quite possible that he simply felt so influential that he decided to go beyond the North-West and begin to influence all of Russia.
Indirect evidence of this version can also be the story of Tsepov’s offer to entrepreneurs Savo Kujundzhich and Andrei Khovanov to help resolve the conflict around the All-Russian Institute of Light Alloys (VILS). According to some information, Tsepov managed to gain the trust of businessmen and even receive $2 million from Kuyundzhich-Khovanov for eliminating the opposing group from the institute. And then again he “forgot” to fulfill what he promised. How many more, enjoying the patronage of the highest levels of law enforcement agencies, could Tsepov “divorce” in this way? However, the above cases are only operational information. It's quite possible these are just rumors. But in any case, the investigation is inclined to think that the origins of Roman Tsepov’s death should still be sought in St. Petersburg.
Cherche la femme?
As we have already noted, the method of elimination itself implies the participation in the crime of someone from Roman Tsepov’s close circle. And as history shows, poisoning is a female method rather than a male one. However, if we remember that in 1993 and 1995 they tried to shoot Tsepov - unsuccessfully - and in 1996 they blew him up, and also unsuccessfully, we can assume that the killer specifically chose this method of murder as the most promising in eliminating the carefully guarded businessman. But the version about the participation of a woman, according to our information, remains among the most promising and carefully developed.
One of the representatives of the fair sex who had a reason for revenge is the former general director of the Domino real estate company Irina Afanasyeva. According to some reports, in the mid-90s, Irina Guseinovna was Tsepov’s mistress. That didn’t stop her from simply ditching Roman Igorevich. And the latter - to become the main witness in a criminal case charging Irina Afanasyeva with fraud and other crimes (the verdict in this case was passed by the St. Petersburg City Court at the end of 2000).
As follows from the materials of the criminal case against Afanasyeva and several other people, through fraud and forgery of documents, the defendants managed to sell very expensive apartments to several buyers at once.
Roman Tsepov was one of the victims in this case. His former mistress sold him an apartment in the center of St. Petersburg, which was mortgaged to the bank. Apparently, only an extraordinary woman could fool the owner of a security company (Baltic Escort’s price list also included such a service as checking the “cleanliness” of the property being purchased).
During the preliminary investigation into this case, information appeared in the media that Afanasyeva was involved in some cases of disappearance of elderly and lonely apartment owners. Allegedly, the owners of the living space were killed, and then documents were drawn up stating that they were selling their real estate, were checked out of their apartments and registered in distant areas of the Leningrad, Novgorod and Pskov regions. Such a scheme actually took place, and some such crimes even came to trial. However, even if there were such suspicions, it was not possible to prove a single such episode. But if we assume that law enforcement agencies simply could not collect evidence, then the question arises: who carried out the enforcement part of this scheme?
Irina Afanasyeva was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to six years in prison. She was released at the end of spring. The motive to take revenge on one's ex-lover and the main witness and victim at the trial she undoubtedly had.
But we managed to find out that Roman Tsepov closely followed the fate of his former passion. And when Irina Afanasyeva returned to St. Petersburg, a certain employee of the St. Petersburg Central Internal Affairs Directorate visited her. He strongly advised her to disappear from the city as quickly as possible. And then he also controlled the departure of the former prisoner.
Thus, Irina Guseinovna hardly had the opportunity to take revenge, even if she had such plans. But, as we know, the investigation is considering Afanasyeva’s version of revenge. However, she was not the only woman in Roman Tsepov’s life...
"Bandit" version
Quite possible reason The murder of Roman Tsepov can be considered because, according to some sources, he tried to actively participate in the division of the “empire” of Konstantin Yakovlev (Kostya-Mogila, shot in Moscow in May 2003). After the death of Kostya-Mogila, who was considered to be on the lookout for the Russian thieves' community in St. Petersburg, a number of more high-profile murders followed. Law enforcement agencies have no doubt that almost all the deaths and attempts on the lives of “authoritative” St. Petersburg businessmen in 2003 are in one way or another connected with the redistribution of spheres of influence in St. Petersburg, which followed the murder of one of the most significant “authorities” in the North-West.
Roman Tsepov, using his enormous influence on law enforcement agencies, was indeed able to compete with Kostya-Mogila’s former comrades, who shared his considerable inheritance. However, Tsepov, according to our data, was not the first time he decided to compete for control over objects, which had previously been exercised by various groups.
At the beginning of July of this year, Andrei Volov was sentenced to a rather considerable term. Law enforcement agencies considered him the leader of a criminal group that controlled almost all business in the suburb of St. Petersburg, the city of Lomonosov and in the southwest of St. Petersburg. However, Volov (according to the RUBOP, Volov was known in criminal circles under the nickname Little) had his own interests not only in the territory controlled by his group. According to some reports, Andrei Malenky “held” Entertainment Center"Continent" on Nevsky Prospekt.
According to our sources in law enforcement agencies, when the investigation against Volov was underway, Volov’s wife Svetlana turned to Roman Tsepov. The woman (the owner of the Congo restaurant chain) allegedly offered Tsepov a certain deal. Roman Igorevich had to provide Andrei Volov with a sentence of less than 10 years (taking into account the time he spent during the preliminary investigation, after a sentence of 8 years, for example, he could apply for parole in a year and a half). According to rumors, Tsepov promised to help Svetlana. Of course, not for free.
We do not know for certain how the negotiations took place. It is not known whether such a transaction took place. But we know the result of the preliminary and judicial investigation in the “Volov case.” Despite the work of one of the best St. Petersburg lawyers, Sergei Afanasyev, Volov was sentenced to 14 years in prison. This means that he will be able to be released in best case scenario in 7-8 years. But the Continent club, according to data from law enforcement agencies, came under the control of Roman Tsepov.
In August 2003, Ruslan Kolyak was killed in Yalta. He was considered one of the leaders of “gangster Petersburg”. Until August of this year, as many as 11 attempts were made on Ruslan’s life. They blew him up, shot him (both from machine guns and from a heavy machine gun), and poisoned him... But they only “got him” in Yalta. Well, after the death of the “authoritative” businessman and lawyer, the eternal question arose - under whose control will his business go?
According to some reports, Kolyak’s share in the Pulkovskaya Hotel went directly to Tsepov. And for some time now, employees of the Baltic-Escort private security company have been noticed in two St. Petersburg casinos that previously belonged to Kolyak. And some of our sources simply directly stated that absolutely the entire business of the deceased came under the control of Tsepov.
Such information suggests that Roman Tsepov actually actively participated in the division of property controlled by the dying “authorities.” In our opinion, this is one of the most likely reasons for the elimination of Tsepov.
Dossier:
Ruslan Kolyak. Born in 1959. Graduated from physics and mathematics school. According to him, he served in the KGB troops. He worked as the head of security at the Pulkovskaya Hotel, was an administrator at the Rome bar, then got seriously involved in the restaurant and security business, and produced a number of media projects. Lately I've been investing in media. He owned two security companies - Cougar and Krechet. He was a member of the international bar association. He controlled two St. Petersburg casinos, several restaurants and cafes.
He was shot with two pistols (TT and PM) at about 14:00 on August 8, 2003 in the restaurant of the Yalta-Intourist hotel. The history of attempts on Kolyak’s life began in 1991: he was fired at from a Kalashnikov assault rifle on Nepokorennykh Avenue. In 1992, he was shot with a pistol in the same place. During both attempts, Kolyak managed to hide under a car. In 1994, a grenade exploded under the bottom of his car. Kolyak was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, but he managed to survive. A year later they tried to poison him twice. In 1997, near the Pulkovskaya hotel, they tried to shoot Kolyak with pistols, but the security managed to capture two killers who, as it turned out later, belonged to the so-called Kazan criminal community. In 2000, two machine gunners tried to shoot Kolyak, his companion and a security guard at a car service center. One of the bullets hit the “authority” in the head. He stayed in the hospital for several months. The last attempt occurred in 2001, when he was fired upon by several machine gunners near a bathhouse on Bolshaya Ozernaya Street. With serious wounds, Kolyak managed to get to the Military Medical Academy on his own. Ruslan Kolyak was considered close to the Tambov criminal community. He himself denied this, claiming that he was simply friends with Vladimir Barsukov (Kumarin). Barsukov-Kumarin is considered the leader of the Tambov gang, but he denies this, and in response to all such allegations in the media (including Western ones), lawsuits are certainly filed, which are invariably won. In 2000, Ruslan Kolyak celebrated his next birthday on a grand scale. Among the guests were famous journalists, several show business stars (including Nagiyev and Rost), several operatives of the St. Petersburg RUBOP, as well as Kostya-Mogila, surrounded by a dense ring of guards. By the way, Konstantin Karolievich presented the birthday boy with a royal gift - a leather-bound Bible with illustrations by Durer. In addition, it is known that Kolyak always willingly cooperated with law enforcement agencies. How he could combine such activities with work in the criminal field remains a mystery.
P.S. Recently, information has appeared about the possible involvement in the death of Tsepov, a native of the city of Bratsk, St. Petersburg businessman Oleg Makovoz. He was declared the main killer of St. Petersburg. But we will tell about this story in another article.