A Look Into The Lives of Russia's Most Elite Billionaires

While we do appreciate the philanthropic endeavors of our American billionaires, there is something extremely captivating about the lifestyle of the Russian Oligarchs. The sons of mother Russia have always strived to find new and inventive ways to turn a profit into a fortune, and for that we admire them.

Meet the Oligarch; the filthy rich super successful businessmen taking Russian finance to the next level. They’re bold, brash and eccentric and one thing is for sure; they are not the shy and reserved Bill Gates Type. Here is the list of the 8 most Elite Russian billionaires of our decade:

Vladimir Lisin, 55

Estimated Worth:  $24 Billion

Rose from coal mine mechanic to owning one of his countries largest steel plants, and after a $4 billion company takeover, now controls a fifth of all of Russia’s commercial railroad traffic. In an economy where most moguls are struggling to keep their empires a-float, the reclusive Yeltsin-era oligarchs net worth continues to sky-rocket–growing by an estimated 5 billion in the past year.          

Not your typical corporate businessman: Talked notoriously cunning financier George Soros into selling him his share of an undervalued $200 million stake in Novolipetsk steel. Owns a Scottish castle that sits on 3,300 forested acres where he retreats to indulge in his passion for shooting and hunting.

Mikhail Prokhorov, 46

Estimated Worth: $18 Billion

Russia’s “Most Eligible Bachelor” made his fortune in metals and mining before acquiring his beloved New Jersey Nets in 2009. Of the purchase Prokhorov stated,  ”I like to  find cheap assets with problems-it gives me power”. Recently, he began to diversify by heavily investing in renewable energy and nanotech.

Not your typical corporate businessman:: In 2007 he spent four days detained by French authorities on suspicion of pimping (no charges filed), after a flock of models were flown in for a party he hosted in Courchevel, France raised red flags.

Roman Abramovich, 45

Estimated Worth: $13 Billion

Orphaned as a child, Abramovich paid his dues as a young oil trader in the chaos that was the Yeltsin days, before pairing with Boris Berezovsky in 1995 to take over oil giant Sibneft for a fraction of its market value. Abramovich owns a majority stake in London’s Chelsea FC that since 2004 has cost him more than $100 million in compensation fees for firing managers early in their contracts. His collection of superyachts dubbed “Roman’s Navy” includes the $1.5 billion Eclipse and is the world’s largest at 557 feet. He is also the owner of a $230 million mansion in Lowndes Square which the most expensive home in London.

Not your typical corporate businessman:: Currently embroiled in a bitter battle with Berezovsky over ownership claims to Siberneft that the press is calling “Shakespearean”.

Boris Berezovsky, 66

Estimated Worth : $ 800 Million

The former mathematics professor got his start by building the LogoVaz firm into Russia’s biggest post-Soviet car dealer. His fortune flourished largely during the privatization of state property.  Aside from his ownership of Siberneft he also became the principal shareholder in ORT Russia’s main cable television network. Berezovsky was once believed to be a Kingmaker in the Kremlin, as his apprentice Roman Abramovich was introduced to all the power players in Chechnya and Georgia (they two are now in engaged in a bitter lawsuit over Siberneft).  He once famously declared ” I can a make a monkey President”  

Not your typical corporate businessman:: Berezovsky has survived three assassination attempts the first being in 1994 when a bomb went off near his Mercedes decapitating his driver. His close friend Alexander Litvinenko, a former FSB agent, died in 2006 after being poisoned with polonium. He once refused orders to appear before the Russian Deputy Prosecutor General in 2000 and was convicted, although absent from hearings, for economic crimes. In 2003 the UK granted him political asylum which became a source of much diplomatic tension between the nations.

Alisher Usmanov, 58

Estimated Worth:$17.7 Billion

Born into the upper echelons of Uzbekistan’s Communist Party known as the nomenklatura, Usmanov mades his bones by acquiring stakes in plastic bags, metals, and telecoms. In addition to owning Russia’s largest business newspaper the Kommersant, he also owns a significant chunk of Facebook and is the second largest shareholder of London’s Arsenal with 25%.

Not your typical corporate businessman:: In his 20′s Usmanov spent six years in prison before being mysteriously exonerated on all charges and declared a political prisoner.

Alexander Lebedev, 51

Estimated Worth: $3 Billion

He is self made billionaire and former street fighter. Banking and airline mogul Lebedev co-owns the Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta with Mikhail Gorbachev. A patron of the arts,  he staged the Chekhov festival on Ukraine’s Black Sea and hosts  fudraisers at his London Hampton Court mansion with a guest list that regularly includes Madonna and J.K. Rowling.

Not your typical corporate businessman:: Lebedev once punched out fellow oligarch Sergei Polonsky while discussing the economic crisis on primetime television. The incident is currently under investigation by the Moscow general prosecutor and could possibly send Lebedev to Siberian prison for up to five years.

Mikhail Fridman, 47

Estimated Worth: $15 Billion

The most low-key and some would say blandest of the oligarchs, Fridman also has some of the most humble beginnings. He got his start washing windows, selling rugs, and throwing the Soviet Union’s first disco parties. These days he heads the Alfa Consortium, one of Russia’s largest private investment groups as well as he co-owning TNK-BP, one of the world’s largest oil producers in the world. The other half is owned by BP.

Not your typical corporate businessman:: The CIA  is investigating the The Alfa Consortium for alleged kick backs to Saddam during the United Nations “Oil For Food” program.

Estimated Worth: Unknown

Once considered the young brash heir to the throne of International Real Estate, Polonsky has been more well known lately for taking a whipping. Not only by Alexander Lebedev but by the financial crisis. Prior to the recession, his Mirax group was behind projects like the 1,660 foot Federation Tower, which would have been Europe’s tallest building. It is now nothing more than a half built monument to his incompetence . In 2011 after the dissolution of Mirax he declared “I am no longer a businessman”. Polonsky once promised to eat his tie on national television if his companies holdings didn’t rise by 25%, and in May of 2011 he did.

Not your typical corporate businessman::  He reportedly paid a Moscow morgue to let him spend a day in a coffin surrounded by corpses.

Elite.