1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Something strange is going on. Who is killing Russian billionaires? 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 2: Another Russian oligarch has been found dead. Reports suggests that 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 2: he hanged himself, fell out of. 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: A window, slashed his wrists, was poisoned, murdered his whole family. 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 3: Last year, more than a dozen Russian oligarchs died in 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 3: the space of nine months. Many of the deaths are 7 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 3: suspicious with links to the Kremlin. This is sad Oligach, 8 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 3: an investigation into these recently dead Russian billionaires. It's created 9 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 3: by me jake Hanrahan and my colleague Sergei Slipchenkov. Sad 10 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 3: Oligarch is a h eleven production for Kulsomdia and iHeartRadio. 11 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 3: One day after Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in 12 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 3: February twenty twenty two, Alexander t Yulokov hanged himself in 13 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 3: the gary of his villa in Russia's Leningrad of Blast, 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:09,639 Speaker 3: specifically the village of Leninskoya. Tulukov was sixty one years old. 15 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 3: According to multiple sources from Russian media, a suicide note 16 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,639 Speaker 3: was found next to the body, Its contents, though. 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: Have yet to be revealed in full. 18 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 3: Tulukov worked for Gazprom, a multinational energy corporation owned in 19 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 3: the majority by the Russian government. Tulukov was the deputy 20 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 3: general director of Gazprom's Unified Settlement Center for Corporate Security, 21 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 3: a serious role. Leninskoya, where he lived and died, has 22 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,559 Speaker 3: been nicknamed by locals as Gazprom's nest as so many 23 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 3: Gazprom managers have houses there. Tulukov was wealthy, and his 24 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 3: house in Leninskoya showed it. The Tulukov house was surrounded 25 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 3: by beautiful conifer trees and set back in the woods, 26 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 3: a nice place to live. The minimum cost of an 27 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 3: average house in that area is upward of five hundred 28 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 3: thousand dollars. Tulukov's corpse was found by a woman he 29 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 3: lived with and her ex husband. It's unsure if the 30 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 3: woman was his girlfriend or just rented a room at 31 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 3: the house. Either way, the body was discovered hanged in 32 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 3: a noose in the garage and the police were called. 33 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: The police arrived and got to work. Then a short 34 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:32,399 Speaker 3: time later, something strange happened. As police tended to the scene, 35 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 3: three black jeeps pulled up outside the house. Several men 36 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: got out. They belonged to Gazprom's private security. They immediately 37 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 3: pushed out the police. Investigators cordoned off the area and 38 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 3: seized the evidence. Independent Russian newspaper Navaya Gazetta, an adversarial 39 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 3: outlet that's known for being critical of the Kremlin, interviewed 40 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 3: people at the scene. They spoke to an employee of 41 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: the Investigative Committee for the Leningrad Region. This person, who 42 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: wished to remain anonymous, said the following quote, Everything that 43 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 3: concerns the village of Leninskoya is immediately reported to us. Personally, 44 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 3: I saw a man in a noose with some piece 45 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 3: of paper lying on the floor of the garage. Forensic 46 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 3: specialists were already working when stronglooking guys arrived in three jeeps. 47 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 3: They declared they were Gazprom's security service. They calledon off 48 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 3: the territory and we and most of the policemen were 49 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 3: simply sent away outside of the cordon of the house 50 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 3: ends quote Who were these people? How is it that 51 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 3: Gazprom security was able to outrank the police. To get 52 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 3: an idea of how security worked at Gazprom, we looked 53 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 3: at local job postings in Russia for security services in 54 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 3: the Gazprom companies. 55 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: Sergei explains, I couldn't find a specific company or like 56 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: a specific I guess I don't know, like section of 57 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: Gasprom that specifically has security, like when they're when you're like, 58 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: here's a job offering for a security guard, uh, and 59 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 2: it basically just says you're working for gas Prom, which 60 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: just means like the main security head of gas Prom. 61 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: You know. 62 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: There's no like separate entity or anything. It seems to 63 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 2: be just like internal gas from security guards. And from 64 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 2: my understanding that's basically who came kicked the police out. 65 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 2: I don't know for sure, but going based off other 66 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: uh kind of other situations and from what Anderson how 67 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 2: Russia operates, my guess would be the cops kind of 68 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 2: understand that once gas Prom is there, it's kind of 69 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 2: above their pay grade. I think they know that, like 70 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: if gas from security is there, you know, very connected 71 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: to put into the Russian higher ups. I think they 72 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 2: know kind of it's time to pack up and step 73 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 2: out of the way. So anything related to curreny they 74 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 2: always look for military service. 75 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 3: Currently, a company called Radu is doing the recruiting for 76 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 3: Gazprom security. That's who's hiring from the job of a 77 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 3: surgery was reading. Radu is a Russian private military contractor 78 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 3: and security firm. It's even formed its own mercenary units 79 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 3: sent out to fight against Ukraine through REDU. Gazprom itself 80 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: also has a private military contractor unit taking part in 81 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 3: the Russian invasion of Ukraine right now. Recently, this unit 82 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 3: released a video condemning another Russian private military contractor unit 83 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 3: who they clash within an occupied area of Ukraine. So 84 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 3: one Russian PMC is fighting with another Russian PMC whilst 85 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 3: both are sent on the same mission by private Russian 86 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 3: government linked firms to invade a foreign country. It's extremely messy, 87 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 3: but as you can see, Gazprom is not just an 88 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 3: energy company. Essentially, gaz Prom holds a lot more power 89 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:16,239 Speaker 3: across Russia. Much more is at stake for its executives. 90 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 3: To understand Gazprom's power and how Alexander T. Yolokov might 91 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 3: have gotten on the wrong side of that, we need 92 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: to look at where Gazprom came from. Gazprom's origins date 93 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 3: back to the nineteen forties, when Russia was ruled by 94 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 3: Stalin's Soviet Union the USSR. In nineteen forty three, in 95 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 3: the midst of World War two, the USSR formed its 96 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 3: first domestic gas industry, was later centralized as the Ministry 97 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 3: of Gas, which discovered large natural gas reserves in the 98 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 3: nineteen seventies and eighties. This helped the USSR become a 99 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 3: major player in the gas industry. By nineteen eighty three, 100 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 3: the USSR was the world's leading producer of natural gas. 101 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 3: They exported the gas to many countries across Western Europe, 102 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 3: something the USSI became dependent on to keep the country going, 103 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 3: ironic considering that now its Western European countries that are 104 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: the most dependent on Russia's gas exports. By nineteen eighty nine, 105 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 3: the Ministry of Gas was renamed as the State Gas 106 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 3: Concern Gazprom. The name Gazprom is a mix of two 107 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 3: words in Russian that simply means gas industry. The renamed 108 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 3: department was Gazprom in its infancy, as it became the 109 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:45,119 Speaker 3: ussa's first state run corporation. When the USSR collapsed in 110 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety one, most of Gazprom was transferred to state 111 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 3: owned companies and the assets remained in Russia. Everyone involved 112 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 3: formed a total gas sector monopoly. Gasprom grew rapidly, extending 113 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 3: its branches into many other industries, such as banking, media, security, 114 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 3: and oil. This monopolized, major state owned energy company exporting 115 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 3: internationally gave the Russian government big leverage. By two thousand 116 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: and seven, the number of Gazprom's personnel was more than 117 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 3: four hundred thousand people. It became the world's largest supplier 118 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 3: of natural gas, with an estimated annual net profit of 119 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 3: over nine billion dollars. By twenty twenty, Germany, Italy and 120 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 3: the Netherlands were Gazprom's biggest customers outside of regions within 121 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: the former Soviet Union. 122 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: By twenty twenty. 123 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 3: Two, Gazprom was sporadically shutting off gas to Western Europe 124 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 3: as a threat to countries helping Ukraine resist Putin's invasion. 125 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 3: Putin allegedly owns four point five percent of Gazprom himself, 126 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 3: adding to his hidden fortune which is speculated to be 127 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 3: around round two hundred billion dollars. In twenty twenty twelve, 128 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 3: the independent Russian news outlet, The Moscow Times compared Gazprom 129 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 3: to an organized crime syndicate. They said, quote, Gazprom in 130 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 3: many ways is more important in advancing the Kremlin's foreign 131 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 3: policy than the Defense Ministry or the Foreign Ministry. In short, 132 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 3: the way Gazprom is run is an accurate model for 133 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 3: how Putin rules Russia. Since two thousand and one, Gazprom's 134 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: management has been dominated. 135 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 1: By three groups. 136 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 3: The CEO's young Saint Petersburg economists, a group of Saint 137 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 3: Petersburg KGB officers both closely linked to Putin, and the 138 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 3: third group of old Gazprom officials. Putin himself has arbitrated 139 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 3: between these three factions, preventing any one of them from 140 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 3: gaining the upper hand, using a classic divide and rule strategy. 141 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 3: Putin thus re obtains the ultimate responsibility for the company 142 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 3: end quote. The KGB that's mentioned in that quote was, 143 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 3: of course, the Soviet Union's notoriously brutal security and intelligence agency. 144 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: The spiritual successor to that is the FSB, the current 145 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 3: Russian security and intelligence agency. Many interchangeably refer to the 146 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 3: current day FSB as the KGB. Clearly, it's no secret 147 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 3: that Gazprom has a sizeable FSB Putin loyalist presence within 148 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: the inner circles, specifically in Saint Petersburg. But was Alexander 149 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 3: to Yolokov part of that It's possible turns out he 150 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 3: actually used to work for the FSB through the early nineties. 151 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 3: Then in nineteen ninety nine he began working for Gazprom 152 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 3: in where Saint Petersburg. A decade after that, in two 153 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 3: thousand and nine, he became Gazprom's deputy general director and 154 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 3: then deputy for Corporate Protection and personnel Management. I think 155 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 3: it's safe to say it's not unlikely that to your 156 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 3: Lokov at least had some proximity to this FSB circle 157 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 3: within Gazprom. It's worth noting that largely the FSB is 158 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 3: alleged to carry out any dirty work for the Kremlin, 159 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 3: including extra judicial violence. But what has all this got 160 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 3: to do with to your Lokov hanging himself in his garage. 161 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: There's more to this story. 162 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 3: Reports in the media from an unnamed witness at the 163 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 3: scene say that to your Locov returned home bruised and 164 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 3: beaten the day before he was found dead. He looked 165 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: as if someone had beaten him up. As we mentioned earlier, 166 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 3: to yu Lookov was the deputy general director of Gazprom's 167 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 3: Unified Settlement Center for Corporate security. Unified Settlement Center acts 168 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 3: as the Gazprom Treasury. According to journalist Matthew Cooper. There 169 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:24,079 Speaker 3: were rumors in Russia that there were problems there. It's 170 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 3: alleged that a hole was found in a twenty twenty 171 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 3: one internal corporate audit, Cooper writes, quote, according to people 172 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 3: in the know, most likely to Ulokov's structure failed to 173 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 3: avoid sanctions losses which divided the life of a top 174 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 3: manager into before and after end quote. Still these are 175 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 3: just rumors. What isn't rumor, though, is the removal of 176 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 3: Alexander to Yulokov's photos from Gazprom files. When reporters from 177 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 3: Neveya Gazetta requested images of ta your Lokov from Gazprom 178 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 3: so that they could use it in their article, they'd 179 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 3: all been removed. Russian journalist Maxim Leonov wrote about this, saying, quote, 180 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 3: the central office of Gazprom said that they did not 181 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 3: have any information about an investigation into the death of 182 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 3: Alexander to your Lookov. At the same time, we were 183 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 3: not even able to obtain photographs of the deceased. One 184 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 3: of the employees of the press service of Gazprom admitted 185 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 3: that the photos of to your Lokov were removed from 186 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 3: their sites in order to prevent the spread of rumors 187 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,319 Speaker 3: and to spare the nerves of the relatives and friends 188 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 3: of the victims end quote. 189 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: This is odd. 190 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 3: Why remove the photos and so quickly. Gazprom's reasoning is 191 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 3: that it could cause pain for the family if the 192 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 3: photos are left in the Gazprom files. I'd argue that 193 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 3: it's a lot more pain for the family if a 194 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 3: company erases their loved ones from the records immediately after 195 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 3: their suicide. This is what Gazprom did to Alexander to 196 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 3: your Lookov, after he'd worked there in a very prestigious 197 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 3: position for more than twenty years. They wiped him off 198 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 3: the face of the planet as far as Gazprom is concerned. 199 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 3: And not to mention the fact that Gazprom's security took 200 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 3: over the scene and pushed out the police, and yet 201 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 3: they said that they were unaware of any investigation into 202 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 3: Alexander to your Lokov's suicide. All of this, to me 203 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 3: seems even more unusual when you consider that Alexander to 204 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 3: your Lookov was not the first Gazprom suicide at the 205 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 3: so called Gazprom nest last year. On January twenty ninth, 206 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 3: twenty twenty two, Gazprom executive Leonid Shilman was found dead 207 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 3: at his home with both wrists slashed. A suicide note 208 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 3: was found next to his body. This occurred just twenty 209 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 3: seven days before Alexander to Yulokov was found dead in 210 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 3: the same area just down the road, also with a 211 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 3: suicide note next to his body. Reports are conflicting on 212 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 3: who found him. Some say it was his ex wife 213 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 3: and children, some say his girlfriend, and some say the 214 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 3: police were first to turn up. Leonid Shilman was the 215 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 3: head of transport services at the investment subsidiary of Gazprom. Shilman, 216 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 3: who was sixty years old when he died, lived in 217 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 3: an affluent gated community in the same area as to 218 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 3: your Lookov. Both were residents at Gazprom's nest. Shilman was 219 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 3: found dead in his bathroom with his wrist ouoken. According 220 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 3: to reports, utility knife was found by his side, as 221 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 3: well as the suicide notes. We looked at the police 222 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 3: photos from the scene. The bathroom has an all marble finish, 223 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 3: with the bath to the right. 224 00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: Of the room. 225 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 3: The bathtub is filled around half way with blood and water. 226 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 3: Shulman's corpse is lying face down on the floor beside 227 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 3: the bath. Blood is smeared on the marble near his feet. 228 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 3: Shulman has a metal Ilizarov apparatus around the lower half 229 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 3: of the right leg. This is an external fixator which 230 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 3: stabilizes and holds broken bones into their correct position to 231 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 3: help them heal. Shulman had a complicated bone fracture after 232 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 3: a recent accident. The fixator on his leg appears to 233 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 3: be broken, with loose parts on the floor next to 234 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 3: Shulman's feet. Crutches are laid out on the floor across 235 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 3: the room, next to where Shulman's head is positioned. Shulman's 236 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 3: body appears to be laid out on top of towels 237 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 3: or a blanket. What's not visible in the photo is 238 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 3: the suicide note or the utility knife the Russian authorities 239 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 3: say Shulman killed himself with. We do, though, have other 240 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 3: police photos of the suicide note removed from the scene. 241 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 3: It was written in a notebook. Whether the photos of 242 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 3: the bathroom scene were taken after the note was removed, 243 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 3: or if it was out of shot, or if it 244 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 3: wasn't even there, we don't know. The following is from 245 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 3: Shulman's suicide notes, which was published in Russian media. Quote, 246 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 3: I'm tired of having to deal with constant medical treatment. 247 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 3: I don't want to become an invalid or a burden. 248 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 3: Remember me as happy and cheerful. Yours, Lenya, Dad, thank 249 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 3: you Sunshine for everything. 250 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: PS. 251 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 3: I love you all ends quote. Lenya is short for Leonide. 252 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,239 Speaker 3: There's more to the suicide note, but the rest has 253 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 3: been blurred out, presumably by the Russian authorities before it 254 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 3: was released publicly. According to this suicide note and Russian 255 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 3: state media reports, Shilman killed himself due to the complications 256 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 3: with his fractured right leg. Whilst we don't know if 257 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 3: there were further unknown medical problems with it, the fractured 258 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 3: leg alone seems an unusual reason to kill yourself as 259 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 3: a wealthy sixty year old. The elizard of apparatus he 260 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 3: had installed is painful, sure, but this can be somewhat 261 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 3: alleviated with medication. Shulman had money, he had access to 262 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 3: premium health care. He would have, of course, had access 263 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 3: to strong painkillers. Nevertheless, apparently he killed himself in the 264 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,400 Speaker 3: bath by slitting both his wrists with a utility knife 265 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 3: also known as a Stanley knife or a box cutter. 266 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 3: Shulman then, perhaps in a bid to try and save himself, 267 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 3: climbed out of the bath before falling flat and dying 268 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 3: on the tiles. That's what the official story and the 269 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 3: police crime scene photos suggest. Anyway, as is with many 270 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,199 Speaker 3: of these oligarch deaths, we've discovered that there's more to it. 271 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 3: Multiple Russian state backed media sources mentioned that there was 272 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 3: an internal investigation into the finances of vehicles in the 273 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 3: department that Shulman headed at Gazprom. 274 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 2: It seems like there was an investigation to why the 275 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 2: company was bleeding money. There was like a reshuffling in 276 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 2: I think twenty twenty or so, and it was kind 277 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 2: of promised, as you know, we will change the structure, 278 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 2: will change the higher ups, and the company is going 279 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 2: to get more profits. But instead it kept on dropping. 280 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 2: Perhaps one of those reasons that was identified was corruption. Right, 281 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 2: people are stealing money off, you know, the typical order 282 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 2: or some kind of repair order parts and half of 283 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,160 Speaker 2: those parts aren't actually purchased, half of the money is pocketed. 284 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 2: It seems like Shuliman he was somewhere higher up in 285 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 2: the transport unit. He would have been the one responsible 286 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: for ordering any kind of repairs, approving deliveries, orders. 287 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 3: Surgery looked into an open source database online documenting these 288 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 3: orders in Shulman's department. 289 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 2: This one specifically is called jos Zakupac. Like gas prompts 290 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 2: purchasing portal, I guess, they show which purchases are made, 291 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 2: it shows when it was ordered, if it was repeated, 292 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 2: and then it shows the total price. 293 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 3: This is where evidence of corruption in Schulman's department is 294 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 3: set out in black and white. 295 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 2: On the order forms, two identical purchases were made for 296 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 2: repairs two months from each other for one point two 297 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 2: million rouble. So that's about fifteen thousand or sixteen thousand 298 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 2: US dollars kind of a lot for only two months 299 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 2: in between. Like, how many cars are you fixing? How 300 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 2: many cars are actually like needing this maintenance? Right, Schulman 301 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 2: would probably be the one that would like authorize this. 302 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 2: Perhaps he can make the order himself. This kind of 303 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 2: activity is pretty normal. You know, order something, skim half 304 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 2: of it, and just report that the entire order was 305 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 2: made and came but it doesn't exist. 306 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 3: So he potentially took about fifteen grand back com out 307 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 3: of that from doing absolutely nothing but faking some documents. 308 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, just file a couple of extra reports, 309 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 2: file a couple electus I don't know, maintenance ledgers, you know, 310 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 2: say you fixed x many cars, say you get it 311 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 2: a couple more tires or whatever, you know, make it 312 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 2: look clean. It never actually happened, but I mean, who's 313 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 2: gonna really prove at that point? Is probably what they thought. 314 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: I don't think they expected to have that investigation started. 315 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 2: From what I understand, the investigation was coming to a close. 316 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 2: They never it was in like a private internal investigation, 317 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 2: so not much details came out about it, but it 318 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 2: seems like around the time they died, the investigation was 319 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 2: coming to a close. Schulmann specifically was kind of aware 320 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 2: that he would be identified as the guy stealing money, 321 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 2: and maybe he offed himself. It's very possible that he 322 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 2: might have been made an example, you know, if you 323 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:50,439 Speaker 2: steal from us is what happens. Mostly speculation, but the 324 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 2: factor remains that it's pretty weird circumstances, same village. I 325 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 2: don't know if they actually knew each other, but clearly 326 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 2: they worked in the same structure, like same company structure, 327 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 2: you know they I'm sure they knew of each other, 328 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 2: especially when they lives on nearby. 329 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 3: A pro Kremlin media outlet called the Moscow Post had 330 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 3: a reporter on the ground in the region where Shulman died. 331 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 3: They also speculate that he was stealing money from Gazprom 332 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 3: through the fake orders. They back this up with some 333 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 3: pretty convincing evidence, which if it's pro Kremlin media as 334 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 3: this is, it can be sort of considered almost as 335 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 3: a reworked press release from the state. This evidence shows 336 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 3: purchase orders from Shulman's department for parts for cars that 337 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 3: were purposely over christ Who did the extra money go to, 338 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 3: as Surgery just explained, probably Shulman. The Moscow Post also 339 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 3: shows that vehicles in Shulman's department were on paper excessively serviced. 340 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 3: Services were also overpriced. Seeing as Shulman was in charge 341 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 3: of all of this, he was quite likely the one 342 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 3: that skimming off the top. This I think leads to 343 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:31,880 Speaker 3: three possible realities. One Shulman actually did kill himself due 344 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 3: to the pain in his leg. Two, Shulman killed himself 345 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 3: because he knew he might be going to prison after 346 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 3: stealing from Gazprom. And three, Shulman was murdered due to 347 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 3: his theft from Gazprom. Me and Surgery were speaking about 348 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 3: this specifically with regards to Putin's close proximity to Gazprom 349 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 3: and how he feels people engaged in corruption stealing right 350 00:23:58,720 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 3: out of his pocket. 351 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 2: Remember Putin talking about kind of selling Russia, and that's 352 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 2: what he described Ukraine as, right in twenty fourteen. He 353 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:11,239 Speaker 2: says that like the politicians that did the whole revolution, well, 354 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 2: according to him, it was like all orchestrated, right, he's saying, 355 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 2: he calls that like selling out to the West, along 356 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,400 Speaker 2: the lines of if you're stealing from Russia, you're a trader, 357 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,680 Speaker 2: you're you're as bad as like those in the West, 358 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 2: et cetera, et cetera. 359 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: So I think that would be a view he holds. 360 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 2: You know, although I don't think he sees it as 361 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 2: stealing from Russia. I think he sees as stealing it 362 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 2: from himself or kind of from his group. 363 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: You know. 364 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 2: It's like if you're going against the grain in his group, 365 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 2: you're wrong. Like, he doesn't care if he's stealing from 366 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 2: the Russian people, if he's taking money from you know, 367 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 2: Gasprom whatever other state company, like. I don't think that 368 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 2: phases him at all. It's when you do something that's 369 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 2: kind of like I guess you think you did. You 370 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 2: had one over Putin himself, and I think that extends 371 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 2: just kind of culture, like it's embarrassing to him. And 372 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 2: if you embarrass him, that's like that's more than enough. 373 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 3: This is a very relevant theory. Remember, Putin allegedly owns 374 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 3: four point five percent of Gazprom himself. Gazprom is massive. 375 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 3: It holds around fifteen percent of all global gas reserves, 376 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 3: has branched off into banking, media, and oil, and now 377 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 3: even has its own paramilitary forces on the ground invading Ukraine. 378 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 3: Earlier this year, Putin lauded Gazprom in a video address 379 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 3: to the CEO. He said, quote, the whole of Russia 380 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 3: is proud of Gazprom. Over the previous thirty years, global 381 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 3: gas consumption has almost doubled, and in the next twenty years, 382 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 3: according to expert estimates, it will add at least another 383 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 3: twenty percent. Despite unfair competition direct attempts from the outside 384 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 3: to hinder and restrain its development, Gazprom is moving forward, 385 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 3: launching new projects end quote. It's clear Gazprom holds a 386 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 3: special place in Putin's heart. If someone steals from Gazprom, 387 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 3: they're quite literally stealing from part of his empire. Anyone 388 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 3: working relatively high up at Gazprom will know this. Leonid 389 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 3: Schumann would have known this. He took a risk and 390 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 3: was likely found out. 391 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 2: It's very possible that Leonid Schulmann just understood what it 392 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 2: meant if he was found out and he was kind 393 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,120 Speaker 2: of like, you know what, fuck it, I'll do it myself. 394 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 2: Very possible. You know, he got into this knowing what 395 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 2: he's doing, who he's dealing with, and you know, there's 396 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 2: so many other cases of falling out of windows even 397 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 2: before all this. I think he knew what was coming. Probably, 398 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 2: I think it's like an open secret that the way 399 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 2: Russia's run. I think a lot of people in Russia 400 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 2: understand that as well. But I think they still don't 401 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 2: want to air their dirty laundry completely. 402 00:26:59,560 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 3: You know. 403 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 2: I'm look at tu lack of February twenty fifth, right, 404 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two, literally the day I think it was 405 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 2: the morning of the invasion. It's pretty convenient timing. Maybe 406 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 2: Tu Lacos just kind of off himself, knowing the pressure 407 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 2: and what was coming. But February twenty fifth, he's found 408 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 2: beat up or at least very bruised. The previous day, 409 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 2: you know, and then all of a sudden he takes 410 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 2: his life. You know, maybe maybe he just kind of 411 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,959 Speaker 2: knew it was coming and decided to do it, or 412 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 2: they used the very big, you know, huge news that 413 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 2: was taking all over all the news media for the 414 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 2: next month or so, the Ukraine War. It's a great 415 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: thing to kind of squeeze in the death there. Nobody 416 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 2: would probably even notice notice. 417 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 3: Said Oligach is a H eleven production for Couzone Media 418 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 3: and IHA Radio. Hosted, produced, researched and edited by me 419 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 3: Jake Hanrahan and Sergey Slipchenko. Co produced by Sophie Lichtman. 420 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 3: Music by Sam Black, artwork by Adam Doyle, soundmix by 421 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 3: Splicing Block. Go to Jacanrahan dot com for more information.