Roman Tsepov
Роман Цепов
Born(1962-07-22)22 July 1962
Kolpino, Leningrad Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died24 September 2004(2004-09-24) (aged 42)
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Cause of deathIllness; radiation poisoning suspected

Roman Igorevich Tsepov (Russian: Роман Игоревич Цепов; 22 July 1962 – 24 September 2004) was a Russian businessman and confidant to Vladimir Putin during Putin's work at the Saint Petersburg City Administration. Tsepov was suspected of criminal and corruption activity.

Biography

Born Belinson, Tsepov changed his surname upon marriage to Tsepov. Upon graduation from the Supreme Political school of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, Tsepov served in the Internal Troops as a political commissar. In 1990, he retired from the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the rank of captain.

"Baltik-Eskort"

In 1992, Tsepov founded the security firm "Baltik-Eskort" which became the largest such firm in St. Petersburg.[1] The idea to create this agency belonged to the future Putin's bodyguard Viktor Zolotov who later oversaw this agency as a member of the active reserve.[2] The firm provided protection to high ranking Saint Petersburg officials, including the city mayor Anatoly Sobchak and his family, as well as the vice-mayor Vladimir Putin.[1] In this role, Tsepov also acted as an "intermediary between Putin and business" through which Baltik-Eskort collected the "black cash" (Russian: "черный нал").[1][3][4] At the same time, "Baltik-Eskort" rendered security services to a number of criminal leaders, in particular Aleksandr Malyshev, the leader of "Malyshev's gang" and his family and several figures of the Tambov Gang.[5]

Criminal activity

In 1994, Tsepov was arrested on charges of illegal storage of weapons and drugs. It is rumoured that the real reason for the arrest was the collection of "protection" money to secure gambling licenses from the city office of Vladimir Putin.[6][7][8][9] Starting in 1993, there were five unsuccessful attempts on Roman Tsepov's life. His name appears in several criminal investigations, the last one being in March 1998 on charges of extortion of 70 thousand dollars.[10][11] Tsepov went into hiding and fled to the Czech Republic.[7][8][9]

Prominent businessmen

Upon Vladimir Putin's coming to power, Tsepov became one of the most influential figures in the financial and political life of Saint Petersburg. He took part in the first presidential inaugural ceremony of Vladimir Putin. Tsepov's power and influence were attributed to his close association with then Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliyev, the chief of Presidential Security Service Viktor Zolotov (Zolotov attended Tsepov's funeral[11][12][13]) and deputy head of presidential administration Igor Sechin. He was also affiliated with Saint Petersburg branches of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and FSB.[7][9][14][15][16][17] Journalists named Roman Tsepov "a security oligarch".[18][19][20] Regarding all this real or rumored activity, Tsepov stated: "For some reason all the time Tsepov appeared to be the most convenient figure for rumors. Elections – Tsepov. Criminal investigations, tranches, credits, fuel business, security, a casino – Tsepov. Personnel rearrangements – me too. The grey cardinal necessarily should exist at a king's court".[21] In the summer of 2004, Tsepov was rumored to attempt to mediate between the government and YUKOS.[22]

Death by poisoning

On 11 September 2004, Tsepov visited colleagues at a local FSB office where he had a cup of tea. On the same day, he felt unwell after which a very serious disease developed with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and a sudden drop of white blood cells.[23] Treated in Hospital 31 in Saint Petersburg, he died on 24 September. A postmortem investigation found poisoning by an unspecified radioactive material. He had symptoms similar to Aleksander Litvinenko.[12][13][24]

Film and television

After playing a small part in Vladimir Bortko's mini-series Banditskiy Peterburg: Advokat (2000) Tsepov co-produced the Vladimir Bortko's mini-series My Honor (2004). The series was awarded a TEFI, the highest television award in Russia, as best film.[25]

Personal

He was close to Alexandra Tsepova, who was believed to be his wife, however, a close acquaintance believes that Alexandra only changed her last name to Tsepova from her maiden name.[26] Alexandra Tsepova sold her apartment to Dina Tsilevich (Russian: Дина Цилевич; born 1968 or 1969) who is a close friend of Svetlana Krivonogikh, allegedly owns the building at which Baltic Escort is headquartered, and is allegedly the mother of Viktor Zolotov's son.[26]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Никитинский, Леонид (Nikitinsky, Leonid) (27 March 2005). Связной с прошлым [Contact with the past]. Novaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 10 February 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Yuri Felshtinsky and Vladimir Pribylovsky The Age of Assassins. The Rise and Rise of Vladimir Putin, Gibson Square Books, London, 2008, ISBN 1-906142-07-6, pages 260–262.
  3. ↑ Dawisha 2014, p. 132
  4. ↑ ...И близкие покойного (Смерть Романа Цепова) [...And relatives of the deceased (Death of Roman Tsepov)]. Rospres. 1 October 2004. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  5. ↑ Gurin, Charles (27 September 2004). "Roman Tsepov, R.I.P." Eurasia Daily Monitor. 1 (93).
  6. ↑ Выжутович, Валерий (1 October 2004). "...И близкие покойного (Смерть Романа Цепова)". Московские Новости №37 (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 August 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2006.
  7. 1 2 3 "Справка в отношении Путина В.В." Stringer (in Russian). 6 November 2000.
  8. 1 2 "Пуитн. Четыре вопроса наследнику престола". whoiswho.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2006.
  9. 1 2 3 Роман Цепов. "Жертва необратимого процесса" Gazeta.ru 26 September 2004 Online copy
  10. ↑ "Конец Романа. Тайная жизнь и загадочная смерть охранника президента". МК в Питере (in Russian). 29 September 2004. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  11. 1 2 Рафалович, Алексей (18 January 2007). "Пакт Матвиенко – Медведева". АПН Северо-запад (in Russian).
  12. 1 2 Андрушенко, Николай (21 December 2006). "Полоний и три Владимира". Новый Петербургъ №49 (813) (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  13. 1 2 "Расследование отравления радиоактивным изотопом Романа Цепова, бывшего телохранителя Анатолия Собчака и Владимира Путина". Радио Свобода (in Russian). 12 January 2007.
  14. ↑ "Центр Кургиняна. Путин и политика". Центр Кургиняна. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  15. ↑ Михайличенко, Борислав (1 October 2004). "Цепов был мне не чужим". Московские Новости №37 (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 January 2005. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  16. ↑ Донсков, Николай (27 September 2004). "Почему погиб охранник прездента". Новая Газета №71 (in Russian). Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  17. ↑ "На смену Борису Йордану приходит Роман Цепов". Bankpress (in Russian). 23 June 2004. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  18. ↑ Луспекаев, Павел (14 March 2005). "Генералам нужен злодей?". Юридический гид Санкт-Петербурга (in Russian).
  19. ↑ Зея, Никита (27 September 2004). "Роман Цепов умер от неизвестной болезни". Известия-Петербург (in Russian).
  20. ↑ "Фарма-мать зовёт?". Ленправда (in Russian). 17 May 2005.
  21. ↑ "Атака серых кардиналов". Ленправда (in Russian). 17 June 2002.
  22. ↑ Yasmann, Victor (20 December 2006). "Russia: The KGB's Post-Soviet 'Commercialization'". RFE/RL.
  23. ↑ Harding, Luke (6 March 2016). "Alexander Litvinenko and the most radioactive towel in history". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  24. ↑ "The Putin bodyguard riddle". The Sunday Times. 3 December 2006.
  25. ↑ "'King of Shadows' Poisoned". St. Petersburg Times #1007 (74). 28 September 2004. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  26. 1 2 "Расследование о том, как близкая знакомая Виктора Золотова строит бизнес с государством" [The investigation of how close friend Viktor Zolotov builds business with the government]. Проект (maski-proekt.media) (in Russian). 24 November 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021.

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