Yevgeny Prigozhin allegedly passed away: Who is he and how did he make his billion-dollar fortune?

In a shocking turn of events, it has been reported that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has allegedly died in a plane crash in Russia. The details of the crash are still unclear but according to the BBC nine other people who were on board also died. No official sources have confirmed his death so far.

The crash comes only two months after he led a ‘mutiny’ against Vladimir Putin, who was once his long-time ally. Their relationship turned sour in the past year, after Prigozhin began criticising the way the war in Russia was being handled.

Yevgeny Prigozhin is the first Russian after Alexey Navalny who publicly challenged Vladimir Putin.

Despite very humble beginnings, thanks to his special - and culinary - relationship with Vladimir Putin, he acquired not only influence but also a sizeable fortune.

And it only swelled when he became Wagner Group chief.

Here is how much Yevgeny Prigozhin is worth today.

Here is how Yevgeny Prigozhin made his fortune

Yevgeny Prigozhin was born in St Petersburg, in 1961, nine years after Vladimir Putin.

Not keen on continuing his education after school, he joined petty criminal gangs in the 80s and engaged in robberies which resulted in him spending over ten years behind bars.

Upon release, he joined his family selling hot dogs on the city streets and before long he owned a stake in a chain of supermarkets.

He opened his first restaurant in 1995, employing Tony Gear, an experienced British hotel administrator who had previously worked at the Savoy in London, to manage the venue - the Old Customs House on St Petersburg’s Vasilievsky Island.

Prigozhin was one of the first to introduce fine dining to Russia’s Northern capital, and his restaurant became so popular that it attracted celebrities and political establishment which included the then-deputy mayor of the city, Vladimir Putin.

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Yevgeny Prigozhin knew how to charm his high-flying customers, including the future President who reportedly got impressed with the restaurateur ‘not being above’ bringing plates to his customers himself.

The friendship between the two saw Prigozhin win contracts to cater for major government events - hence his nickname ‘Putin’s chef’ - and giant government supply contracts, including Moscow’s schools.

Yevgeny Prigozhin‘s net worth: $1 billion

Although the businessman had already accumulated an enormous fortune by then, he was hungry for more, insiders claim.

This is when he pitched Vladimir Putin the idea of the Wagner Group which became one of the most powerful mercenary groups with Kremlin ‘agenda’ in many countries, including Ukraine.

With business interests in catering, warcraft, property, and anything else that brings money but ‘questionable’ methods, Yevgeny Prigozhin reportedly has a net worth of $1 billion.

US Government: Wagner Group is a ‘brutal’ criminal organisation

Founded in 2014, Wagner Group became Vladimir Putin’s go-to force to aid his military.

It is known to be active in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Mali, Central African Republic, Venezuela and possibly other countries.

It also allegedly operates ‘internet troll farms’ targeting Western democracies and elections.

The US Treasury Department called Wagner Group a ‘brutal’ transnational criminal organisation, accusing them of pressing foreign regimes for cheap natural resources and political support in exchange for military assistance.

To avoid sanctions and conceal its finances, the mercenary set-up allegedly demands payments in gold, diamonds and shipments of oil and gas.

Financial Times earlier reported that Yevgeny Prigozhin and his companies rely on a global network of corporate lawyers to fend off Western authorities.

The Guardian's investigation revealed that Russian journalists who tried to shine the light on Wagner Group and its leader’s activities and financial resources faced threats or intimidation.

Three of them travelled to Central African Republic in 2018 to cover Russian mercenaries' involvement in military action and were killed in an ambush that 'appeared to be well-planned and coordinated'.

Read more:

⋙ Vladimir Putin: Rare details about relationship with his 'chef'-turned-critic Yevgeny Prigozhin disclosed

⋙ Vladimir Putin: Russian president's propaganda mocked by Wagner chief in new interview

Sources used:

- TF1 Info: 'La fortune d'Evgueni Prigojine, homme d'affaires milliardaire'

- The New York Times: 'Inside Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Money-Making Machine'

- DW: 'Russia's Wagner Group: Where is it active?'

- The Guardian: 'Yevgeny Prigozhin: the hotdog seller who rose to the top of Putin’s war machine'

- Sportskeeda: 'Yevgeny Prigozhin net worth: Fortune explored as Russian mercenary group Wagner chief accused of mutiny'

- BBC: ‘Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin feared dead after Russia plane crash’