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In reply to the discussion: I smell a big fat KGB rat in all this. [View all]Kid Berwyn
(15,043 posts)83. Absolute Mafiya with Vladimir Putin as Great Protector of Oligarchy.
Sergei Roldugin, the cellist who holds the key to tracing Putins hidden fortune
The Russian presidents best friend portrays himself as a modest musician, but leaked (Panama Papers) documents reveal his role in a secret money-go-round
by Luke Harding
April 3, 2016, The Guardian
Its a touching family photo. In the centre is Vladimir Putin, holding his new baby daughter, Maria. Next to him is Lyudmila, his wife, with a bouquet of flowers. She has threaded her arm through his. On either side are Marias godparents, Ira and Sergei Roldugin.
Maria, also known as Masha, was born on 28 April 1985 and the photo was taken soon after. The city was Leningrad, the country though not for much longer the USSR. Fathers occupation: KGB officer.
Roldugin was the obvious choice as godfather: he had known Putin for eight years and was his best friend. Putin was at KGB training school with Roldugins brother Yevgeny.
He was like a brother to me, Sergei Roldugin later recalled of his friend, known by the family as Volodya. They had youthful adventures: cruising the city at night, singing songs, and as Roldugin tells it getting into the odd street fight. They played football: He was tenacious, like a bulldog.
Snip...
The Panama Papers show at least five secretly owned offshore entities in the Mossack Fonseca files linked to the Roldugin operation. They have largely meaningless names Sonnette Overseas, International Media Overseas, Sunbarn, Raytar, Sandalwood Continental Ltd.
But one connection brings them all together. The firms are all linked to a company of Swiss lawyers. And they in turn act for a single organisation: Bank Rossiya, which is no ordinary bank.
Continues...
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/03/sergei-roldugin-the-cellist-who-holds-the-key-to-tracing-putins-hidden-fortune
The Haves and the Have Yachts
The Russian presidents best friend portrays himself as a modest musician, but leaked (Panama Papers) documents reveal his role in a secret money-go-round
by Luke Harding
April 3, 2016, The Guardian
Its a touching family photo. In the centre is Vladimir Putin, holding his new baby daughter, Maria. Next to him is Lyudmila, his wife, with a bouquet of flowers. She has threaded her arm through his. On either side are Marias godparents, Ira and Sergei Roldugin.
Maria, also known as Masha, was born on 28 April 1985 and the photo was taken soon after. The city was Leningrad, the country though not for much longer the USSR. Fathers occupation: KGB officer.
Roldugin was the obvious choice as godfather: he had known Putin for eight years and was his best friend. Putin was at KGB training school with Roldugins brother Yevgeny.
He was like a brother to me, Sergei Roldugin later recalled of his friend, known by the family as Volodya. They had youthful adventures: cruising the city at night, singing songs, and as Roldugin tells it getting into the odd street fight. They played football: He was tenacious, like a bulldog.
Snip...
The Panama Papers show at least five secretly owned offshore entities in the Mossack Fonseca files linked to the Roldugin operation. They have largely meaningless names Sonnette Overseas, International Media Overseas, Sunbarn, Raytar, Sandalwood Continental Ltd.
But one connection brings them all together. The firms are all linked to a company of Swiss lawyers. And they in turn act for a single organisation: Bank Rossiya, which is no ordinary bank.
Continues...
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/03/sergei-roldugin-the-cellist-who-holds-the-key-to-tracing-putins-hidden-fortune
The Haves and the Have Yachts
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"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist"
Progressive Lawyer
May 2023
#2
If the Devil changed his name from Lucifer to Bob, does that mean the devil no longer exists?
Progressive Lawyer
May 2023
#13
It's very simplistic. Just try calling it for what it is not what you think it is.
JanMichael
May 2023
#14
Highlighting just because the KGB does not exist in name does not mean it ceases to exist in spirit.
Progressive Lawyer
May 2023
#16
Would you have preferred : Russian Intelligence Services and their myriad of Sections Heads of
msfiddlestix
May 2023
#88
Thank you for the history review. This is info that Jack Smith is well aware of.
ancianita
May 2023
#25
KBG??...you try to dilute..BTW, it WAS the KGB.. same shit, different pile..
asiliveandbreathe
May 2023
#15
Like "Elvis isn't dead. He just went home." (Men in Black), the KGB simply changed their name.
paleotn
May 2023
#34
Apparently some commentators on this forum don't understand innuendo. KGB eq FSB
erronis
May 2023
#8
Nope. The FSB (former KGB) is internal (kinda like FBI) and GRU is international military intel.
ancianita
May 2023
#28
Please link the timeline. While they now exist simultaneously, the KGB were prior to the GRU.
ancianita
May 2023
#49
I love the deflection going on here. "The gun that killed 12 people wasn't really an assault weapon"
NBachers
May 2023
#29
The NRA is basically insolvent. It has maxed out its line of credit which it had been using .....
mjvpi
May 2023
#41
I've seriously been wondering how much right wing propaganda has originated from Russia.
Initech
May 2023
#47
Since Murdoch has been busy in Aus, Eng, USA, elsewhere - wouldn't we look at his family
erronis
May 2023
#56
Funny -- that we have no "honest and true" press is ALSO Russian propaganda warfare.
Hortensis
May 2023
#80