Oleg Tinkov

Oleg Tinkov, born on December twenty-fifth, nineteen sixty-seven, is a prominent Russian entrepreneur and businessman known for his diverse ventures in retail and banking. He founded Technoshock, a network of household appliance stores, and Daria, a chain of frozen food factories. Tinkov also established brewing companies and a series of Tinkoff restaurants, alongside lesser-known projects such as the music store Music Shock and the record label Shock Records, which played a significant role in the early careers of bands like Kirpichi and Leningrad.

In two thousand seven, Tinkov founded Tinkoff Bank, initially known as Tinkoff Credit Systems, where he served as chairman of the board until two thousand fifteen. By December first, two thousand sixteen, the bank was ranked forty-fifth in terms of assets and thirty-third for equity among Russian banks, showcasing Tinkov's impact on the financial sector.

However, Tinkov's life took a dramatic turn in two thousand nineteen when he was diagnosed with leukemia. That same year, he faced legal troubles in the United States, being indicted for willfully filing false tax returns and attempting to evade over two hundred forty million dollars in taxes. After his arrest in London in February two thousand twenty, he fought extradition due to his health condition, ultimately pleading guilty and being sentenced to pay over five hundred eight million dollars in taxes, fines, and penalties.

Despite his health challenges, including complications from surgery in two thousand twenty-one that left him with a forty percent chance of survival, Tinkov's cancer went into remission by two thousand twenty-two. Following his diagnosis, he stepped back from his business roles and established a charity fund for leukemia patients, investing two hundred million dollars of his own money. His financial status fluctuated, with Bloomberg estimating his net worth at eight point two billion dollars in November two thousand twenty-one, while Forbes reported it at eight hundred million dollars four months later.

In April two thousand twenty-two, Tinkov publicly criticized the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leading to threats from the Putin administration regarding the nationalization of Tinkoff Bank. This pressure forced him to sell his thirty-five percent stake and ultimately led to his decision to renounce his Russian citizenship in October two thousand twenty-two, citing the ongoing conflict and his opposition to the regime.