How Putin's Oligarchs Hide Their Billions | Investigators

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  • Опубликовано: 12 апр 2022
  • How did oligarch Dmitry Firtash, aka Putin’s ‘Man in Ukraine’, end up buying a tube station in the heart of London? And what does this tell us about the British attitude to dirty money?
    London is the go-to place for Putin’s associates to come and spend their dirty money - billions of dollars are thought to be laundered through the capital every year. But since the Russian invasion and subsequent war in Ukraine, the UK is now under pressure to ramp up sanctions and crack down on it.
    Oliver Bullough, journalist and author of ‘Butler to the World’ investigates Dmitry Firtash and analyses the UK’s role as a butler to oligarchs, kleptocrats and tax dodgers.
    Watch more from this series:
    How Sergei Magnitsky Uncovered a $230 Million Tax Fraud
    • How Sergei Magnitsky U...
    How Drugs and Mobile Phones Get Into British Prisons
    • How Drugs and Mobile P...
    The Man Behind the World's Biggest Financial Fraud
    • The Man Behind the Wor...
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Комментарии • 2,2 тыс.

  • @lshaps46
    @lshaps46 2 года назад +423

    The British government allowed this activity for years. One wonders how many British politicians have been paid off.

    • @daniellawyatt
      @daniellawyatt 2 года назад +17

      Same with the US.

    • @adamgunn2885
      @adamgunn2885 2 года назад +16

      Literally every Tory MP. They are the ones to blame for this nonsense, and they are the ones to blame for how expensive it is to buy/rent property in London

    • @DoggPoundBDN
      @DoggPoundBDN 2 года назад

      Who cares it do t effect u or me only the rich

    • @bootsyvanbeathoven2632
      @bootsyvanbeathoven2632 2 года назад

      @@adamgunn2885 And in Amsterdam!

    • @steveeddy6876
      @steveeddy6876 2 года назад +1

      Yes not much about this in the Lame stream media!

  • @amartyaroy3754
    @amartyaroy3754 2 года назад +1368

    Can any UK lawyer explain to me, how come ordinary British people have to account for every pound they have whereas these Oligarchs can buy million-dollar properties anonymously?

    • @David-bi6lf
      @David-bi6lf 2 года назад +245

      Same way big companies can avoid tax. Lawyers that know the loop holes can charge big money. The average person doesn't pay the tax man enough tax without loop holes to profit from hiring a lawyer to seek out those loop holes. Big companies and oligarchs do. Officials probably benefit from the loop holes so why put effort into filling them.

    • @brandonhallam51
      @brandonhallam51 2 года назад +77

      Have to look at the difference between people and legal entities. Normal people operate using their own identity as a legal entity to conduct commerce. But if they are willing or able to pay the cost they can create a separate legal entity not tied to their identity to purchase and conduct commerce.

    • @Eusantdac
      @Eusantdac 2 года назад +40

      They set-up different companies, under different names, backed by lawyers who know all the loopholes and it's all good for them. Do ordinary British people have money to spend on creating fronts for their assets?

    • @mrmc2465
      @mrmc2465 2 года назад +57

      Because they are rich and you are a 9-5 plodder. They can make people stupidly rich and you can hardly afford a round down the pub, simple really😂

    • @holeefuk413
      @holeefuk413 2 года назад +5

      Do you really need an explanation for that one?

  • @Obekant08
    @Obekant08 2 года назад +258

    "Approximately 500 people, the 500 people around v.p. own more wealth than the bottom 99.8% of the population and uniquely for a major economy, more than half of that wealth is not in Russia but is owned outside Russia...". Fascinating, astounding and grotesque.

    • @alanmaribor
      @alanmaribor 2 года назад

      This is something like America! 🤣🤣🤣
      Black Rock have 10 trilions! Nobody care! Why? Media fake homeless spirit....

    • @Cinoth
      @Cinoth Год назад

      The ordinary people of Russia are getting screwed over royally by Putin and his rich gang.

    • @RR-et6zp
      @RR-et6zp Год назад

      Putin is a trillionaire

    • @chriss7930
      @chriss7930 Год назад +7

      1 %of the world population has 99% of the money !

    • @kristiyannikolov2668
      @kristiyannikolov2668 Год назад +7

      Pretty much same everywhere

  • @bastymanguy
    @bastymanguy 2 года назад +4

    Ya these high-end properties sometimes build down, like about 7 stories maybe. Saw that documentary around 2010. Happens in London because they can’t build up in some particular areas due to zoning restrictions.

  • @MarlonBrando420
    @MarlonBrando420 2 года назад +398

    British agents were more than happy to take the commissions. Let’s not kid ourselves

    • @O-beefie
      @O-beefie 2 года назад +28

      Yes bro he said Britain is biggest enablers

    • @jarrad5244
      @jarrad5244 2 года назад

      Britain sells their country off to Russians

    • @AbdulAli-ku9he
      @AbdulAli-ku9he 2 года назад +9

      100% True.

    • @aspinx
      @aspinx 2 года назад +5

      Now, somebody can seize it and sell it again!

    • @toke7560
      @toke7560 2 года назад

      The top British are corrupt on the same level as the Oligarchs. In fact they would give the worlds worst a good run for the money.

  • @TheChazas
    @TheChazas 2 года назад +716

    People know money is power, but sometimes don't realize how big of a power, it rules and corrupts everything and everywhere.

    • @mubirunyago9178
      @mubirunyago9178 2 года назад

      It even corrupted the communists so much so that they are more capitalist than capitalists themselves.

    • @foreignmonarch5694
      @foreignmonarch5694 2 года назад +4

      1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
      ‭‭

    • @MrSupernova111
      @MrSupernova111 2 года назад +1

      Absolutely! I'm tired of commoners worshiping the elite. Common working people are expendable in the eyes of the elite and the see us as a labor force whose only purpose is to serve them.

    • @OGRH
      @OGRH 2 года назад

      Yup! That's why the most corrupt evil resides in the US & has all types of propaganda networks, like VICE for instance!

    • @--Valek--
      @--Valek-- 2 года назад

      Now ask who owns the federal reserve or stfu

  • @DiegoLinde
    @DiegoLinde 2 года назад +10

    "Its a big club and you ain't in it" -- George Carlin
    people act surprised but in one way or another it's always been like this. It's by design but concealed. Monarchy, politicians, super-elites and rich...our society is corrupt, but most of us are either ignorant or don't say anything.

  • @jdarby6157
    @jdarby6157 2 года назад +3

    amazing journalism thank you!

  • @dsdddsd4543we
    @dsdddsd4543we 2 года назад +186

    Soft power at play. If you own assets in London, the politicians, salesmen, and residents become friendly. Sports teams, art, property, yachts, high-end cars.

    • @erenelvis666
      @erenelvis666 2 года назад

      John mearsheimer is shaking

    • @roseoverdose6451
      @roseoverdose6451 2 года назад

      Sorry but how THE HELL are people who "assisted" them in buying assets in your country LEGALLY guilty of anything? Absolutely ridiculous! This guy is a moron. Putin and his buddies are disgusting, but really... that comment was disgusting.

    • @speedomike747
      @speedomike747 2 года назад +1

      Yes and if you cross the line you can say bye bye to the your assets and friendly people.. which this Ukraine situation proves

    • @kevinh9093
      @kevinh9093 2 года назад +5

      @@speedomike747 dont be fooled, its all smoke and mirrors lol. Those oligarchs and most of their assets will be perfectly fine

    • @MrGreFunky
      @MrGreFunky 2 года назад +2

      @@kevinh9093 Yep. And it isn't just these oligarchs. Our government is exactly the same. It's just Russia is the next enemy, so the corrupt media will point out the crimes of Russians, without exposing themselves.

  • @kimblecheat
    @kimblecheat 2 года назад +78

    That is Deripaska's house btw; we cleaned it and were paid through different shell companies.

    • @TheLastSultan420
      @TheLastSultan420 2 года назад +3

      How long it took for the payments to clear?

  • @juststuff5216
    @juststuff5216 Год назад +5

    I disagree with the claim that the British Government feel 'Shame' or a sense of 'Embarrassment'. I don't think British politicians, on either side of the House, have those emotions!

  • @DemarcusQ
    @DemarcusQ 2 года назад +12

    “We are the worlds best butler” .. Never looked at it that way but he makes it make sense.

    • @user-ii7zr3bj9c
      @user-ii7zr3bj9c 12 дней назад

      Why nobody talk about that China has imprisoned more than 1 million Uyghurs! Why nobody talk about that Mongolian, during their expansion of Mongol empire, has slaughtered more than 100 million around the world, which, more horribly all done by blades and arrows. Why everyone think that Chinese is a more decent ruler who deserve take control of Siberia.

  • @shirleylangton7967
    @shirleylangton7967 2 года назад +461

    Letting oligarchs/the very rich set trends for real estate and the ownership of it, ultimately encourages gouging and over-pricing of real estate for ordinary people who can't even afford a home anymore! The money definitely needs to be tracked for all real estate. Water, food, and housing should be rights for everyone!!!

    • @mrmc2465
      @mrmc2465 2 года назад

      The oligarchs aren't the ones printing the currency into oblivion, if you educated yourself as to the real problems then wild goose chases wouldn't be necessary

    • @tysnow9524
      @tysnow9524 2 года назад +10

      That would be nice but the rich set the rules and the common people like you and me have no power to stop it. The oligarchs have their hands in so many pocket that they have become untouchable.

    • @4Dwooorld
      @4Dwooorld 2 года назад +2

      At list be honest with yourself. If you work for someone from 8:00 to 17:00, you don't know how to organise and run a business. It means you want to live in socialism. The country were people lived by your ideas and rules was The Soviet Union (North Korea, China, Cuba, Vietnam, ets). Socialism failed in 1991. If you are not able to be independent and make money by yourself you have to take what you have been given by people who can run business. If you cannot cut trees, you cannot have a proper house. Life is tough and you are not a child. You expect that someone will give you everything. Those people took money from me, my family, my country and transferred them to your country. While you could benefit from them all of you were happy. Now you are not happy any more, because more and more people want have easy life. If someone gives me one million or more for my house, I will definitely sell it and I don't care about anyone.

    • @geoffreynhill2833
      @geoffreynhill2833 2 года назад

      Sadly, the Nero-Glib Tosh - sorry, Revolution! - has put paid to all that commie stuff, Shirley!😉

    • @swedishfish2357
      @swedishfish2357 2 года назад +2

      Most people would buy a house for someone else in their own name for a million dollar surcharge. Of course most countries can deduce if the individual signing for the property has enough money to do so, that's one thing taxes are for, but place enough money in enough people's pockets and it becomes a nice little shell game. Hence the term shell company

  • @kimblecheat
    @kimblecheat 2 года назад +459

    I had a conversation with an Oligarch a few years ago. My company was working on his house - I knew then, saw photos of him with Putin and heard his laugh when I asked a question of him.
    The answer was 'why do you think they never mention Russia' his laugh was relaxed and happy, as he spent another million on ripping up and refitting floors as his wife thought the shade of colour was n't what she had asked for.

    • @mattjo8577
      @mattjo8577 2 года назад +10

      Have you any jobs going

    • @shubham_dalvi
      @shubham_dalvi 2 года назад +8

      @@capturedflame where are you from?

    • @carcotasu081
      @carcotasu081 2 года назад

      @@capturedflame You sound like a tool lmao

    • @squirrel9999
      @squirrel9999 2 года назад +21

      Sounds like bullshit, million for a floor

    • @charlessmith3940
      @charlessmith3940 2 года назад +55

      What question did you ask? Your post makes no sense.

  • @andrewmossop6241
    @andrewmossop6241 2 года назад

    Thanks for the insight. You have confirmed my suspicions,

  • @katerentstafford1124
    @katerentstafford1124 Год назад +1

    Thanks for this report man

  • @pauldonvito6169
    @pauldonvito6169 2 года назад +162

    Please please stay safe, Oliver. This is incredible journalism. You and the team should be so proud

    • @TomCruz54321
      @TomCruz54321 2 года назад +11

      I really hope for the safety of brave journalists like this. They’re battling billionaires that have the capability to put a hit on them.

    • @jesseaffiliate6328
      @jesseaffiliate6328 2 года назад

      Not brave enough to investigate biden crime family businesses. But I understand its not possible for biased company controlled somehow by same crime family and its thugs

    • @thevarietyoflife7283
      @thevarietyoflife7283 2 года назад

      I don't,what you think is true is false information and propaganda, there are interviews with oligarchs and what he said was misinformation, oligarchs are just rich business people like Elon Musk, bill gates, Jeff bozos, queen Elizabeth, etc etc. It amazes me you guys get sucked into crap and say things you don't know crap about. Spreading worldwide false information is literally propaganda. It's 2022 hello, look before you believe what ONE PERSON is saying.

    • @jamaly77
      @jamaly77 Год назад +3

      @@TomCruz54321 Just like the CIA with Assange.

  • @e2rqey
    @e2rqey 2 года назад +266

    While everything he's saying is correct, we talk about these oligarchs as if they are a uniquely Russian thing and aren't a part of British and US society as well. We just don't call them "oligarchs" we call them things like "job creators", "entrepreneurs", or they are individually idolized for their wealth and influence like how Elon Musk is by some people. Don't get it twisted though, they are capable of basically everything these Russian Oligarchs are, if not more.

    • @dimitarmargaritov
      @dimitarmargaritov 2 года назад +7

      Not every entrepreneur is ultra wealthy though and most are just actually trying to do better for themselves.

    • @e2rqey
      @e2rqey 2 года назад +57

      @@dimitarmargaritov I never said every entrepeneur was as wealthy/influential as a Russian oligarch. All i said was that Entrepreneur is one of the things that we end up calling our American oligarchs instead of oligarchs. It's very similar to the way that foreign governments the USA likes are called "administrations" while the ones we don't like are called "regimes". At the end of the day its just a reframing of the exact same thing. The Koch's and those kind of people are functionally identical to oligarchs, the only difference is the government backing them

    • @iviv5720
      @iviv5720 2 года назад

      You the only smart guy in these comments. Like the western elites probably have double what the Russian elite have

    • @dimitarmargaritov
      @dimitarmargaritov 2 года назад

      @@e2rqey The difference is most of the US entrepreneurs created their companies out of nothing and didnt privatize the government assets in shady deals.

    • @MrGreFunky
      @MrGreFunky 2 года назад +15

      Bang on Sean. Also with western geopolitical goals being hindered by Russia in Ukraine, it's easy to see why the media is reporting on this.

  • @beara2482
    @beara2482 Год назад +1

    Great research , awesome courage!!!

  • @janwienecke1473
    @janwienecke1473 Год назад +5

    Once you understand the monetary system you realize that earth is a slave planet. If you can't see it you just haven't understood it yet.

  • @Izzy-qf1do
    @Izzy-qf1do 2 года назад +27

    Putin: it's a special military operation.
    Boris Johnson: it was a work meeting.

  • @gav240z
    @gav240z 2 года назад +57

    Same problem in Australia we turned a blind eye to Chinese money coming in and buying up lots of key real estate etc..

    • @youtubeSuckssNow
      @youtubeSuckssNow 2 года назад +11

      Canada did as well.

    • @gav240z
      @gav240z 2 года назад +1

      And when I say "we" I mean our Political class. I've been furious about it for years since it made it harder for everyday citizens to buy a home.

    • @Daniel-nt5gh
      @Daniel-nt5gh 5 месяцев назад

      We might agree on saying that dirty money from dictatorships is being used to attack western societies' middle class, and specially most needed asset, housing, and this has been done with the complicity of our laws and free commerce rules being used against our democracies.
      They are rooting to the bone our liberty with our own rules.

  • @egomaniacal1
    @egomaniacal1 Год назад +6

    Wait he bought a tube station for his own personal and private use?!! That’s the craziest and most boss move I’ve heard of in a minute.

  • @lalovlogslopez-batres8361
    @lalovlogslopez-batres8361 Год назад +2

    I really liked the English butler reference 😂😂😂

  • @TimothyWhiteheadzm
    @TimothyWhiteheadzm 2 года назад +147

    You never really addressed the reason that the UK encourages it. It raises the prices of housing which artificially raises the wealth of all property owners. Property is basically an investment vehicle in many parts of the world and especially in places like London and New York where property could be said to be in a permanent 'bubble'. A 'bubble' being the term in investment circles for any asset whose value is over inflated beyond its utility value because of its perceived investment value. Of course under capitalism money needs to be invested somewhere and at least some part of the economy will always be in a 'bubble' state and nothing inherently wrong with that, but it does mean that it is susceptible to pops where some people leaving the market can cause a crash of value.

    • @lettucesalad3560
      @lettucesalad3560 2 года назад +3

      Lawyers, banks and real estate agents are cleaning up.

    • @informant09
      @informant09 2 года назад +5

      Those details are not important for vice. They want a short strong emotional reaction and thats it.

    • @yovannifajardo4824
      @yovannifajardo4824 2 года назад +1

      Oligarchs also like have it other forms of money other than rubles, pounds, etc..

    • @pedrocoelho6344
      @pedrocoelho6344 2 года назад

      yes there is something inherently wrong with that!

    • @mickeys490
      @mickeys490 Год назад +1

      I have been looking at these comments for like 10minutes and I finally got my answer, thank you

  • @user-em6ie2be7x
    @user-em6ie2be7x 2 года назад +42

    The UK should publish a UK version of The Pandora Papers.

  • @gip6064
    @gip6064 Год назад +13

    As an Indian, living in India,i easily relate to this.just 10%of India's millionaire and billionaire own 75%of the country's wealth. And that 10% rich population mostly own or invested their wealth in foreign countries like US,Uk,Canada, Europe,UAE.....

  • @ulihanel7078
    @ulihanel7078 2 года назад

    thank you for this fantastic report

  • @ClickBoom290
    @ClickBoom290 2 года назад +90

    Serious VICE can you do one for the U.S. oligarchs too?

    • @mayaram2411
      @mayaram2411 2 года назад +20

      Second this. The Russian oligarchs are brazen thieves, but the American tech oligarchs still have an undeserved air of respectability.

    • @guyst-pierre5464
      @guyst-pierre5464 2 года назад

      Impossible, vice is now mainstream media... Sad how it got polluted with political bullshit since a couple of years

    • @radina92
      @radina92 2 года назад +1

      what is U.S. oligarchs?

    • @lisavanderpump7475
      @lisavanderpump7475 2 года назад +1

      @@radina92 lmaoooo

    • @MCroppered
      @MCroppered 2 года назад +2

      @@radina92 oligarch is just a businessman with political influence, the entire US political class is bought by donors, the NRA, big pharma, military/defence contractor neo-con stakeholders are all oligarchs.

  • @romeo1650
    @romeo1650 2 года назад +63

    Money laundering through real estate is rampant in Toronto, Canada on a large scale as well, which is why many local Canadians may never even have the chance to own their own home without significant help or a substantial salary.

    • @DavidManouchehri
      @DavidManouchehri 2 года назад +4

      The types of real estate used in these transactions are likely completely out of your price range to begin with, so I doubt it has a noticeable impact for local buyers.

    • @romeo1650
      @romeo1650 2 года назад +5

      @@DavidManouchehri I’m glad you doubt it. But it’s a known fact. So please try to disinform someone else ya bot.

    • @DavidManouchehri
      @DavidManouchehri 2 года назад +2

      @@romeo1650 Is that what they teach in Canadian schools now? Everyone who doesn’t share your opinions is a bot? 😂

    • @martyminus90
      @martyminus90 2 года назад +1

      That is so sad. And it can be fixed. The government need to take action.

    • @DavidManouchehri
      @DavidManouchehri 2 года назад +3

      @@martyminus90 Foreign buyers make up less than 1% of the Canadian market nowadays. Canadians need to learn to take responsibility for creating their own mess.
      The core of the issue, is lack of supply. You vote for politicians who implement policies of restricting development to maintain prices, and then act surprised when prices become unaffordable.

  • @Andre-hz8yx
    @Andre-hz8yx 2 года назад +2

    I am glad you showed this and it should be shown to everyone.

  • @runyourpocketsg9811
    @runyourpocketsg9811 7 месяцев назад +1

    Government dosent give a crap about things that would lose them money. But yet the rest of us are expected to be good little citizens. No thanks.

  • @AdamAlkishawi
    @AdamAlkishawi 2 года назад +70

    The part of the anarchists occupying that mansion makes me think about the documentary vice did on these anarchists occupying empty mansions across London, they said that there were so many luxury buildings and mansions sitting there empty, now it makes me think if all of those mansions were built to launder money, I mean who would pay hundreds of millions on a luxury home only to leave it sitting empty?

    • @swedishfish2357
      @swedishfish2357 2 года назад

      The people that own those kinds of homes own multiple properties across the world. People like Bruce McMahan who diddled knowingly diddled and 'married' his long lost biological daughter in Westminster Abbey, the same place royalty gets married at. It's a big club and we ain't in it! Hell even "communists" had their own oligarchs, there always has been and will be the haves and have nots. Unless an A.I. can manage society in to some kind of utopia in the far future.

    • @jewellui
      @jewellui 2 года назад +15

      It’s to protect their wealth, they know it’s not safe in Russia particularly if they anger Putin whilst in the UK there are laws in place so it’s better for them to diversify their assets in multiple countries. London has also proven to be stable and proprieties have been appreciating.

    • @Yomi4D
      @Yomi4D 2 года назад +4

      People should just move in!

    • @sylviewalker7560
      @sylviewalker7560 2 года назад +3

      Definition of laundering...

    • @mayaram2411
      @mayaram2411 2 года назад +1

      Russians aren't the only third world crooks who buy property to launder money. Pakistanis, Arabs, African dictators, they all do it.

  • @sarahflanagan9345
    @sarahflanagan9345 2 года назад +312

    I love the line at the end where he says "Kleptocracy is terrorism". This rampant pillaging of money from a country (Russia), leaving it impoverished and vulnerable to an evil man like Putin is appalling.

    • @leegarnier9396
      @leegarnier9396 2 года назад +16

      @Sarah Flanagan: I understand that you would infer this meaning, but let's not put words in his mouth. He does not actually say he equates kleptocracy to terrorism. What he literally says is that dealing with kleptocracy should require the same amount of attention from the government as it has given to terrorism.
      I absolutely agree with your sentiment. Kleptocracy might be even more damaging to society due to its relative obscurity.
      Look, I know I'm being pedantic here and I hope you won't take it as a personal offence. We live in an age of misinformation where the underlying message will be dismissed by others due to a misrepresentation of facts.

    • @annychest718
      @annychest718 2 года назад

      @@leegarnier9396
      Putin is a terrorist..Fact !
      Communism enabled him..
      Who invented Communism?

    • @TomCruz54321
      @TomCruz54321 2 года назад +1

      It’s so disgusting selling out your own citizens for foreign billionaires. When people who voted for you can’t even pay rent and then you take bribes from these russian billionaires so they can buy up all the uk properties. Disgusting.

    • @BogdanWeiss
      @BogdanWeiss 2 года назад

      Just don't mention the oligarch who bankrolled Zelensky & also payed off Hunter Biden - 2 puppet crack heads controlled by the same puppet master...

    • @HelenaMikas
      @HelenaMikas 2 года назад

      an evil man like Johnson is no better than an evil man like Putin .Your democracy is fading fast and Johnson will not be moved .

  • @edwardhumphries4752
    @edwardhumphries4752 7 месяцев назад

    Fair play for wearing the money shirt for this interview 😂

  • @barrygraham1754
    @barrygraham1754 2 месяца назад +2

    Confiscate all their real estate holdings as per sanctions

  • @warlordop713
    @warlordop713 2 года назад +162

    Rich people that have influence in politics sounds a lot like our home America. 😂

    • @lorenzoblum868
      @lorenzoblum868 2 года назад +34

      It's called corruption. The consequence of greed. Sounds a lot like our home, Earth.

    • @techcafe0
      @techcafe0 2 года назад +9

      a loose definition of an oligarch is a very rich business leader / tycoon with undue political influence over government agencies, who negatively impact the lives of people the government is meant to serve. given that, we can say that the United States most definitely has its own oligarchs, starting with the greedy Koch brothers (one of whom is dead now). Elon Musk, the richest man on the planet atm, he could be considered a kind of oligarch, given his outsized influence on U.S. politics.

    • @bidenisnotmypresident7352
      @bidenisnotmypresident7352 2 года назад

      especially rich liberal rich people

    • @techcafe0
      @techcafe0 2 года назад +1

      @@bidenisnotmypresident7352 oh ffs dude, this 'Liberals are the problem' trope is getting real old. Just stop and THINK about the crap that's coming out of your mouth.

    • @jponz85
      @jponz85 2 года назад +10

      @@techcafe0 also mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos etc etc

  • @genesamarian4278
    @genesamarian4278 2 года назад +29

    Glad you shed light on important issues vice

  • @Pickled73
    @Pickled73 Год назад +1

    Someone Should put together one of these tours around Washington DC and Virginia. There certainly would be no shortage of destinations.

    • @souvikrc4499
      @souvikrc4499 Год назад

      Or major cities like NYC, or even the $200 million steel mill funded by Russian money in Kentucky

  • @pup4corn
    @pup4corn Год назад +1

    They should do this for Manhattan lmao 🤣

  • @doingtime20
    @doingtime20 2 года назад +15

    Young people out there, you can't buy a house? Well greed is one of the reasons you can't. Income inequality is through the roof, some people at the top are grabbing everything while everybody else just struggles to get by.

  • @honhai57
    @honhai57 2 года назад +35

    “The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.”
    ― Tacitus, The Annals of Imperial Rome

  • @sabrinakopekova507
    @sabrinakopekova507 2 года назад

    Fantastic video!!! Thank you for this information and this tour is fucking epic!

  • @mahanslt9110
    @mahanslt9110 2 года назад

    Thank you.

  • @JackLauricourt
    @JackLauricourt 2 года назад +18

    Thanks for this eye-opening episode. I really enjoyed watching, just wish it was longer! 😂

  • @glennabela6005
    @glennabela6005 2 года назад +72

    Oligarchs exist in every country including the so called progressive West. Make no mistake about that.

    • @lorenzoblum868
      @lorenzoblum868 2 года назад +3

      Corruption is not endemic.

    • @carcotasu081
      @carcotasu081 2 года назад +1

      Maybe, but at least the Western rich don't steal the country's wealth like the Russian oligarchs do. Why do you think the average Russian is so dirt-poor?

    • @MrGolondrinaMan
      @MrGolondrinaMan 2 года назад +1

      @@lorenzoblum868 Yes it is, corruption is endemic to power, wherever it may be

    • @lorenzoblum868
      @lorenzoblum868 2 года назад

      @@MrGolondrinaMan you misspelled intrinsic.

    • @MrGolondrinaMan
      @MrGolondrinaMan 2 года назад

      @@lorenzoblum868 Intrinsic is a more accurate term for it, yes, but endemic also refers to something negative that repeats frequently.

  • @kuwait85
    @kuwait85 2 года назад

    Excellent work here vice

  • @valentinabma
    @valentinabma 2 года назад

    what a good mini documental!

  • @eid8fkebe7f27ejdjdjduyhsvqhwu2
    @eid8fkebe7f27ejdjdjduyhsvqhwu2 2 года назад +51

    "Welcome to cleptocracy tour"
    *Shows the parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the British Museum*

  • @rdflo6739
    @rdflo6739 2 года назад +7

    Great work! We need to hear more about this, and get to work on changing society to stop this. A long road ahead I fear..

  • @michaelp9061
    @michaelp9061 2 года назад +2

    The uk enabled it and now taking possession of that money. How despicable.

  • @oliviernamias57
    @oliviernamias57 Год назад +1

    Thanks for your great work. being an Ukrainian, is Firtasch the best exemple of Russian oligarch ? Which part of the 500 wealthiest Russians settled in London ? Do we have an Idea ? Best regards !

  • @josephsunday9183
    @josephsunday9183 2 года назад +26

    Why have you not research and write about Nigeria government or Nigerians who have served and stolen, looted the treasury to British Banks? Please research and investigate this for the good people of Nigeria 🇳🇬 🇳🇬 🇳🇬 🇳🇬 🇳🇬 🇳🇬 🇳🇬

  • @LS-et6se
    @LS-et6se 2 года назад +87

    I hope this guy will stay safe. I would be scared for my life if I were him, after exposing so much

    • @web-navigator
      @web-navigator 2 года назад

      Of course YOU were.

    • @ProfessorFatMan
      @ProfessorFatMan 2 года назад +2

      You can google most of this stuff and if you dig deep enough you can surprise yourself.

    • @Beantown-ld1sg
      @Beantown-ld1sg 2 года назад +4

      He didn’t expose anything,it’s only a big deal because of the bullshyt with Ukraine……

  • @shoja7264
    @shoja7264 2 года назад

    Very great video!!

  • @chinascoming4u
    @chinascoming4u Год назад +1

    This is great though pointing out houses, people need to resort to more extreme measures until laws are publicly passed. We cant be lied to anymore, been happening for far too long!

    • @jamaly77
      @jamaly77 Год назад

      Similar to WW2 ands Nazi Germany. Always easier to blame one specific group, in this case the Russians and their oligarchs.

  • @firuzmiah9794
    @firuzmiah9794 2 года назад +13

    All the middle eastern rich people should learn from this. Investing billions in uk 🇬🇧 and western countries but some point everything will be sanctions. So invest money on your own country and people and stop investing in foreign land for your own benefit.

  • @JuelFishScale2
    @JuelFishScale2 2 года назад +6

    This was so good. I had no idea. Thanks Vice for another banger!!

  • @eric_on-yt7022
    @eric_on-yt7022 Год назад

    Your the best man keep up the great work and keep doing what you love

  • @libelldrian173
    @libelldrian173 2 года назад +17

    In my opinion allowing the sell of property to rich foreign investors who don't even personally use the buildings is one of the most perverted political crimes in practice, especially where real estate markets feel a lot of pressure due to high demand.

    • @jashkons
      @jashkons Год назад

      I guess you have no idea where and from who banks buy gold etc

    • @brownwolf152
      @brownwolf152 6 месяцев назад

      I own several apartment complex, so am I corrupt because I don't live there.

  • @TheFreshSpam
    @TheFreshSpam 2 года назад +18

    The laundering is probably what keeps the books balanced for the country most the time. Rather it here than Suadi Arabia, Turkey etc.

    • @billsmith53
      @billsmith53 2 года назад +8

      This is 1000% the right answer. Despite what they say to the press, the British government loves and probably needs the "investment".

    • @xGribbles
      @xGribbles 2 года назад

      @@billsmith53 How do they need private investment into property lmao, half the time these fuckers don’t pay tax.

    • @sammyb3323
      @sammyb3323 2 года назад

      @@billsmith53 But yeah, lets feed and house every person from other countries in the UK before we feed and house our OWN PEOPLE

    • @shellshockedgerman3947
      @shellshockedgerman3947 2 года назад

      @@sammyb3323 What does that have to do with anything? These oligarchs are probably worth a hell of a lot more compared to native Brits.

    • @sammyb3323
      @sammyb3323 2 года назад

      @@shellshockedgerman3947 the uk aint big enough for everybody

  • @TheMonkeyNetwork
    @TheMonkeyNetwork 2 года назад +13

    Some light is shed upon Russian “oligarchs”. But this whole notion isn’t exclusive to the one party, the bigger picture is being missed.

  • @cristinaenache9648
    @cristinaenache9648 Год назад

    Am înțeles, va mulțumesc

  • @donaldmwenesi4964
    @donaldmwenesi4964 2 года назад +2

    The episode only opens up debate on how foreigners own UK's real estate rather than the ordinary citizen, also the shell companies are located in the British virgin islands that were orchestrated by the British elite.

  • @tu5149
    @tu5149 2 года назад +9

    Thanks for the tips vice 👍🏻

  • @uprightape100
    @uprightape100 2 года назад +101

    Thank you so much, VICE. Housing costs in London might be more affordable if those properties were to be seized and auctioned off to "Brit citizens only", if that's legal. Or maybe subdivided as housing for teachers or other useful types. That Firtash home could become a "Museum Of Kleptocracy".
    Good idea, yeah?

    • @techcafe0
      @techcafe0 2 года назад +1

      Ukraine has its own Museum of Kleptocracy & Corruption ruclips.net/video/fSZOalfBX9Q/видео.html Viktor Yanukovych, an oligarch allied with Russia. Yanukovych eventually fled to Russia into the arms of Putin, after the EuroMaidan protests in Kyiv's Independenc Square.

    • @likemy
      @likemy 2 года назад +9

      the auction would instead be won by a Chinese or a Khazak kleptocrat.

    • @Fharenheit
      @Fharenheit 2 года назад

      If they are auctioned, only the wealthy will get them... mdbthen keavebthem empty.. because its an auction. I dont think thats a good idea

    • @domore1287
      @domore1287 2 года назад

      Your country will go poop, every country need foreign exchange

    • @That1GGirl
      @That1GGirl 2 года назад

      That’s racist af! It’s like saying usa can only rent or sell to white Americans, not Mexicans

  • @The84336
    @The84336 7 месяцев назад +1

    My grandparents once were acquainted with a woman whose daughter used to be married to Roman Abramovich, and apparently she was constantly buying real estate that she shouldn’t have been able to afford.

  • @thibaultbogaerts7866
    @thibaultbogaerts7866 Год назад

    good work

  • @lindasvensson593
    @lindasvensson593 2 года назад +12

    this man talks serious business, especially his shirt

  • @karatsurba4791
    @karatsurba4791 2 года назад +8

    Nice
    Could u also present how our politicians evade taxes n the kickbacks they take next 🙂

  • @themusijoshow3763
    @themusijoshow3763 2 года назад

    His shirt... Seems deliberate 😂

  • @thejuiceweasel
    @thejuiceweasel 2 года назад +3

    Fantastic presenter. The ever-present tinge of cynicism in his narration is so well done. He has seen so much of this crap, but he's still a professional.

  • @davidshapiro383
    @davidshapiro383 2 года назад +5

    We watched Mr Firtash's property being constructed behind the old and unused Brompton Square tube station in Knightsbridge as we lived next door for 14 years and very nice it is too. Never did see him.

    • @AdamAlkishawi
      @AdamAlkishawi 2 года назад

      Vice did a piece years ago about anarchists occupying empty mansions across London and now it all makes sense, who would pay hundreds of millions for a luxury home only to leave it sitting empty?? Now we know why.

    • @thomaspickup3304
      @thomaspickup3304 2 года назад

      I’ve always wondered how people can afford to buy in areas like this, what is it you do? Also never understood the appeal given the noise etc, why not live in much bigger house further out of London

    • @davidshapiro383
      @davidshapiro383 2 года назад +1

      @@thomaspickup3304 Our story is unique but we did not have to pay for the apartment (6 story townhouse with a 3-bed apartment on each floor). One year, around 15 years back a Russian family came to view the property next door. They ended up paying 13M GBP for the whole house and we've never seen them since. One wonders whether it was their money or if it belonged to the Russian people! I supply equipment to and build radio & television stations.

    • @thomaspickup3304
      @thomaspickup3304 2 года назад

      @@davidshapiro383 thank you for replying and sorry for the nosiness. How come you didn’t have to pay for your apartment ? Did you like living there and get to know your neighbours? I’ve always wanted to knock on the doors in Kensington etc and just hear their story, it would be fascinating.

    • @davidshapiro383
      @davidshapiro383 2 года назад

      @@thomaspickup3304 14 years in Knightsbridge before emigrating. My wife received the apartment as part of her job. I succeeded in a broadcasting licence tender here in Cyprus in 2013 and we already owned property here so, we moved at different times in 2014. Met a lot of both influential and well-known people during the time we lived there. Some were neighbours and others at house parties. Contacts make the world go round don't you know:-)

  • @frogstock2597
    @frogstock2597 2 года назад +7

    I deal with these people in a daily basis as clients around Kensington, Maida Vale, St John's wood areas... They knock down houses and build new ones worth 20+ million like it's nothing. They wash their money buying and building then sell on

  • @martinprehjan9944
    @martinprehjan9944 Год назад

    When watching these documentaries, I often wonder how many cells does the high security supermax in Florence Arizona has!!! will it be able to house all these guys! I wonder!

  • @D-E-S_8559
    @D-E-S_8559 2 года назад +11

    The story of the Russian Oligarchs reads exactly like a single page from that of the African Afrogarchs, who've been at this corruption game alongside their former colonial enablers for much much much longer, without the possibility of ANY sanctions...

  • @J_Urban_
    @J_Urban_ 2 года назад +55

    No one worth millions or more, became this way by staying on the side of being morally correct.

    • @miatamatt7105
      @miatamatt7105 2 года назад

      Well spoken

    • @bigtuna4010
      @bigtuna4010 2 года назад

      o

    • @samgoddard2617
      @samgoddard2617 2 года назад

      that’s a bullshit generalization

    • @e2rqey
      @e2rqey 2 года назад

      The only thing I can think of is like a lottery winner or something like that

    • @GuyIncognito764
      @GuyIncognito764 2 года назад

      true, if you raise your bar maybe. I know plenty of millionaires who have integrity. I'd agree, in general, at around 10million today and there are always exceptions. Your statement is a bit scary to me with it being so concrete....

  • @bodygraber
    @bodygraber 2 года назад +43

    Who owned all this property before the Russians? They didn't seem to have a problem selling it to them. Who were previous oligarchs?

    • @jponz85
      @jponz85 2 года назад +6

      Exactly my point to which I commented in another thread saying that inevitably if it isn't the Russians who own these properties it would be someone else either way so what's the problem? Lol

    • @carcotasu081
      @carcotasu081 2 года назад +25

      Well, most probably were the heirs of old British noble families.

    • @jarlbalgruufthegreater1758
      @jarlbalgruufthegreater1758 2 года назад

      Oligarchs from a democratic country are always better than chinese and russian oligarchs. We shouldn feed the dictators puppets anyways

    • @sevenhelmets
      @sevenhelmets 2 года назад +8

      The tube station featured in the clip would’ve been owned by the London tax payer. So the people.

    • @Captain__Obvious
      @Captain__Obvious 2 года назад +5

      @@sevenhelmets If you consider Lord Ashfield and the Henry Wellcome Estate to be common London tax paying folk and not oligarchs themselves then sure

  • @luckieoleary6459
    @luckieoleary6459 2 года назад +1

    How is it a bad idea…when you’re not the one selling them those property and assets. Is it really your decision to decide?

  • @lloydturlington3268
    @lloydturlington3268 2 года назад

    Thanks for sharing the information !

  • @evilemuempire9550
    @evilemuempire9550 2 года назад +41

    Russians: Why do you always cast us as bad guys
    Also Russian oligarch: buys a metro station that definitely hasn’t been converted to an evil lair

    • @usernotfound904
      @usernotfound904 2 года назад +1

      Lair*

    • @evilemuempire9550
      @evilemuempire9550 2 года назад +2

      @@usernotfound904 lol, you right, I fixed it

    • @Vovan07
      @Vovan07 2 года назад

      Well you have the 500 Russian oligarchs who are enabled by western governments to rob the entire nation of regular Russian people most of whom are piss poor now. So who are the real bad guys in this situation?

    • @evilemuempire9550
      @evilemuempire9550 2 года назад

      @@Vovan07 Definitely the Russian oligarchs, don’t get me wrong, enabling them definitely isn’t right, but just saying oligarchs will be oligarchs so don’t enable them isn’t really fair, these people can choose to not be evil scumbags and rob their countries blind, but they don’t.

    • @daniels1263
      @daniels1263 2 года назад

      It is pretty cool

  • @greyfells2829
    @greyfells2829 2 года назад +9

    The good doctor will sacrifice the limb to save the body.

  • @Formed123
    @Formed123 2 года назад

    Good old pitchforks and torches. How did this stop the killing?

  • @pastreetkings29
    @pastreetkings29 7 месяцев назад +13

    What blows my mind is that just because we don't agree with them politically. That gives every country in the world the right to steal their property?
    Imagine if every country did that. What kind of property rights would anyone have?

    • @sybariticops
      @sybariticops 4 месяца назад +1

      As some might argue, the right to “steal” their property is a form of sanctions and could even be classified as a form of future anticipated “war reparations”; all this predicated on whether or not one believes Putin’s government and military is waging a war of aggression, ie-post WWI Germany, for example.

    • @oneflyguy1949
      @oneflyguy1949 2 месяца назад

      They have been doing it for 1000s of years

  • @pacmonkruz9846
    @pacmonkruz9846 2 года назад +8

    Politician’s work, USA has a bunch of them

  • @justwatch843
    @justwatch843 2 года назад +22

    There should be an independent investigation about the money that was 'donated' to these politicians and their parties. And all of that money should be clawed back with interest and they should be tried as a criminal.

  • @jacquelinejudge1659
    @jacquelinejudge1659 Год назад

    Fantastic documentary

  • @noirbl00d98
    @noirbl00d98 Год назад

    Thanks

  • @anilachar323
    @anilachar323 2 года назад +3

    Oliver's black shirt printed with bank notes is a subtle statement...

  • @charlesmiv3842
    @charlesmiv3842 2 года назад +18

    Make them all dirt poor, they surely deserve it.

    • @saulservin4600
      @saulservin4600 2 года назад

      Down with the Russian mother land. God bless America and its allies. And bring down the hammer of fate to the guilty to the gates of hell

    • @warlord1207
      @warlord1207 2 года назад +3

      they'll be back in the same place

    • @Sccoppe
      @Sccoppe Год назад

      @@warlord1207 someone gets it 👆

  • @mainrzo
    @mainrzo 2 года назад

    4:50 was an episode of AtlantaFX 😂

  • @cristinaenache9648
    @cristinaenache9648 Год назад

    Am recunoscut anumite persoane. Din Argeselu și Gornesti

  • @IIBONESII
    @IIBONESII 2 года назад +47

    First the Oligarchs payed the Politicans of GB so they vote for the Brexit, then the Politicans let them buy like half of their country and now here we are. How stupid can people be? Brexit was really worth it huh? Good luck and greetings from Europe!

    • @baverfjant
      @baverfjant 2 года назад +1

      They bought "Half the country" decades before Brexit.

    • @georgehenry76
      @georgehenry76 2 года назад

      This all sounds like a European problem.

    • @baverfjant
      @baverfjant 2 года назад

      @@georgehenry76 And yet America kept on bringing other NATO countries, and even some outside NATO, into their own conflicts. Don't try and weasel out by claiming this problem isn't on your hands too.

    • @georgehenry76
      @georgehenry76 2 года назад

      @@baverfjant ain’t nothing on my hands. I’m no lizard person

    • @baverfjant
      @baverfjant 2 года назад +1

      @@georgehenry76 Lmao

  • @charlessmith3940
    @charlessmith3940 2 года назад +5

    Sanctioning all of them was a big move. That def hurts but they have many other assets.

    • @aspinx
      @aspinx 2 года назад

      Last time I checked it was called "illegal seizure of private property", unless the crime was proven with facts and went through all stages of prosecution.

  • @barrygraham1754
    @barrygraham1754 2 месяца назад +1

    UK needs to investigate, and set new rules and refs for foreign real estate transactions for sure

  • @htg97
    @htg97 2 года назад +1

    i was wondering about this issue for many years too, but i'm not uk citizen and even don't live there. it's a real shame for so called "advanced" western society

  • @NunyaHarmonee
    @NunyaHarmonee 2 года назад +2

    I had to google what a Tube Station is... 😊

    • @lorenzoblum868
      @lorenzoblum868 2 года назад

      Lucky you.
      Not many have to Google C. O. R. R. U. P. T. I. O. N. or G. R. E. E. D.

  • @adamcheklat7387
    @adamcheklat7387 2 года назад +10

    You’d think those oligarchs would actually get off their thrones and pool all their cash to fix Russia for once.

    • @zackattack635
      @zackattack635 2 года назад +2

      Why don’t you say that about American oligarchs who are ruining the US? Other than the fact that American oligarchs own the media outlets that tell you how bad Russia is… and you uncritically believe it. It’s like you people enjoy getting manipulated by liars.

    • @adamcheklat7387
      @adamcheklat7387 2 года назад

      @@zackattack635 It was just a suggestion. I’m fully aware of America’s oligarchs.

  • @rahatahmed6188
    @rahatahmed6188 Год назад +1

    How do I get a piece of this 😂

  • @agbonjoshuajesse6600
    @agbonjoshuajesse6600 2 года назад

    This documentary is deep and revealing