Badri Patarkatsishvili: photo, biography, cause of death

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Undoubtedly, Badri Patarkatsishvili was an authoritative and colorful figure in business circles. He was called the richest man in Georgia. The scope of his interests was quite diverse: he financed sports football and basketball clubs, acted as a sponsor of chess players, swimmers, wrestlers, created the Art-Imedi media holding. Many reckoned with Badri, and his partner was Boris Abramovich Berezovsky himself, who for quite a long time was considered a "grey eminence" in the country's public administration system. The last days of his life he lived, like his odious "companion", in London. What was the path of Badri Patarkatsishvili in the career of a businessman? Let's take a closer look at this issue.

Biography Facts

Badri Patarkatsishvili, whose biography certainly deserves attention, was a native of the Georgian capital. He was born on October 31, 1955 in a Jewish family. His parents were religious people and from childhood taught their son to go to the synagogue regularly. However, at schoolBadri's peers were disliked because of his specific background. They did not miss the opportunity to humiliate and oppress the "Georgian" Jew.

The situation was complicated by the fact that Badri Patarkatsishvili reacted quite infantilely to the outbursts of his classmates, trying not to show his "I".

Fateful meeting

The surname of the future businessman was interpreted as "the son of a little man", and Badri did everything possible to ensure that as few people as possible knew about its meaning. The young man enters the local polytechnic, after which he begins to work at the worsted and cloth factory "along the party line" as an assistant secretary of the Komsomol committee. Over time, Badri Patarkatsishvili rose to the position of deputy director of the enterprise. He also had the idea to reorganize the production company into a joint-stock company.

In the early 90s of the last century, a "Georgian" Jew headed the Caucasian regional branch of JSC "LogoVaz", being one of the founders of this enterprise. It was on the territory of the plant that Badri and Boris Berezovsky met fatally.

First steps towards cooperation

Patarkatsishvili was almost 10 years younger than his "strategic" partner.

At the time of their acquaintance, Badri was already the author of a scientific monograph on the pricing procedure in the "land of the Soviets". Berezovsky also had a doctorate in physical and mathematical sciences. He came to the car factory in order to improve management methodsproduction and Badri provided Berezovsky with all possible assistance in this. It was on sales of Zhiguli that Boris Abramovich and Patarkatsishvili made their first millions. However, they did not forget about the material interest of the head of the VAZ - Vladimir Kadannikov, who also received part of the profits. This is how Badri Patarkatsishvili began his career as a businessman, whose fortune was estimated at $11 billion by the end of his life.

Controlled cash flow

In 1993, Badri went to the Russian capital to establish business ties, and a few months later he took the post of vice president of Russian Auto Dealers.

In 1994, his candidacy was approved as the first deputy head of LogoVAZ.

After successful business at the car factory, the "Georgian" Jew did not stop cooperating with Berezovsky. The scope of his business interests is gradually shifting towards Russian television.

Patarkatsishvili becomes deputy general director for commerce, in fact acting as treasurer at ORT. Also in this media structure, he is appointed executive director and first deputy head of the executive body. The businessman becomes a famous person. Badri Patarkatsishvili, whose photo often flashed in the business press in the mid-90s, soon chaired the tender committee for the sale of a controlling stake in Sibneft. Thanks to Badri, most of the securities of this structure went to the oligarch Berezovsky. Then the partners began to show interest in the TV-6 channel,the directorate of which was headed by Patarkatsishvili. Some time later, he bought the Kommersant printed edition from Boris Abramovich. Sharks of the pen informed that the amount of the contract was about $100 million.

Fate breeds companions

However, sooner or later, but the business cooperation of business partners had to come to an end.

And it came when Putin replaced Yeltsin as president. Berezovsky fled the country to England, and the "Georgian" Jew left Russia and went to his homeland.

In the summer of 2001, the Russian prosecutor's office filed charges against the businessman. Its meaning was that Badri Shalvovich Patarkatsishvili helped the criminal Nikolai Glushkov, who held a high position in Aeroflot, escape from arrest. Soon the oligarch was put on the international wanted list.

In the fall of the following year, he was accused in absentia of having committed fraudulent transactions, as a result of which cars were stolen from AvtoVAZ.

In the still water…

Dealing with Berezovsky, Badri tried to appear in public as little as possible. He headed TV channels, but never participated in talk shows or analytical programs.

Badri avoided communication with the press and did not interfere in the politics of the state. Upon returning to his homeland, he would have been calmly engaged in entrepreneurship, but, in practice, it turned out that he was hatching "Napoleonic" plans.

Georgian business

At homebusinessman continued to do business. In 2002, he established the Imedi media structure. Patarkatsishvili bought the capital's circus, started sponsoring sports clubs, invested in the restoration of ancient Mtskheta, and started building a new cathedral. In his homeland in 2003, he headed the Georgian Federation of Businessmen. Soon he will be recognized as the most successful entrepreneur of the year in Georgia. At the end of 2004, Badri becomes the head of the country's national committee, and in January of the following year - the head of World Jewish Television.

Unspoken leader

In Georgia, the businessman also developed an active public activity. He offered the city hall a loan of one million rubles to pay off debts to Russia for natural gas. However, this step turned out to be a simple PR to a greater extent.

In 2006, he began to oppose the existing regime of Mikhail Saakashvili. The president's associates, in turn, called him "the unspoken boss of the opposition forces." In the fall of the following year, opponents of the authorities organized a demonstration against the existing system in front of the legislative body, and Badri took part in it not the last time. Law enforcement agencies had to intervene in the situation. Then the businessman publicly declared that he was ready to part with all his billions, if only to overthrow the dictator Saakashvili. Soon, the Tbilisi prosecutor's office initiated criminal prosecution against Badri for an attempt to overthrow the existing government. The entrepreneur had toemigrate from the country. He left for London. Abroad, he continued to manage his Imedi holding, selling a number of securities to News Corp. Rupert Murdoch.

At the end of 2007, he decided to run for the presidency of Georgia. However, local television showed a video that compromised Badri, and the victory in the elections for the head of the Georgian state turned out to be illusory, but he still managed to take third place in the race for the presidency.

Last years of life

The death of Badri Patarkatsishvili came as a complete surprise to his associates.

He was only 53 years old. And the businessman's inner circle also wondered why he passed away so early: Badri Shalvovich rarely complained about he alth problems. Some of his associates blamed the death of Patarkatsishvili on the Georgian president.

One way or another, a special commission was created in London, which was supposed to determine why Badri Patarkatsishvili died. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack.

The businessman has two children from his first marriage: daughters Liana and Iya, and one child from the second (later declared invalid) son David.