Dmytro Vasylovych Firtash ( uk, Дмитро́ Васи́льович Фі́рташ; born 2 May 1965) is a Ukrainian businessman who heads the board of directors of Group DF. He was highly influential during the Yuschenko administration and the Yanukovych administration. As a middleman for the Russian natural gas giant

Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐzˈprom) is a Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. As of 2019, with sales over $120 billion, it was ranked as the larges ...

and with connections to the Kremlin, Firtash funneled money into the campaigns of pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine. Firtash obtained his position with the agreement of Russian president Vladimir Putin and, according to Firtash, Russian organized crime boss Semion Mogilevich. His many roles during the Yuschenko administration included: presidency of the

Federation of Employers of Ukraine The Federation of Employers of Ukraine ( uk, Федерація роботодавців України) is a major interest organisation for business and industry in Ukraine. Intensive efforts towards unification of employers organizations mater ...

(FEU), an interest association of industrial enterprises that he chairs; chairmanship of the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council (NTSEC); co-chairmanship of Domestic and Foreign Investors Advisory Council under the Ministry of Education, Science,

Youth and Sports Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood ( maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as being a young adult. Yout ...

of Ukraine; and membership in the Committee for Economic Reforms under the President of Ukraine. The

United States Justice Department The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and a ...

has characterized Firtash as an "upper-echelon ssociateof Russian organized crime." He was arrested by Austrian authorities in March 2014 and has since been in Vienna fighting extradition to the United States, where he is under federal indictment for an alleged bribery scheme. American attorneys

Joe diGenova Joseph diGenova (born February 22, 1945) is an American lawyer and political commentator who served as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1983 to 1988. He and his wife, Victoria Toensing, are partners in the Washingto ...

and

Victoria Toensing Victoria Ann Toensing (née Long; born October 16, 1941) is an American attorney, Republican Party operative and with her husband, Joseph diGenova, a partner in the Washington law firm diGenova & Toensing. Toensing and diGenova frequently appea ...

, associates of then-president Donald Trump and his personal attorney

Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...

, were hired by Firtash in July 2019 to fight his extradition, as Giuliani sought information in Ukraine to damage Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Early life

Firtash was born on 2 May 1965 in Bohdanivka,

Zalishchiky Raion Zalishchyky Raion ( uk, Заліщицький район) was a raion of the Ternopil Oblast. The administrative centre and largest town was Zalishchyky. The rest of the district's population lived in one of 35 village councils or 53 rural sett ...

( Ternopil Oblast), Ukraine, Soviet Union. His father Vasyl ( uk, Василь) was a driver and his mother Mariya Hryhorivna ( uk, Марія Григорівна) had two degrees (economics and veterinary medicine) and worked at a livestock farm and then a sugar mill as an accountant. Since the 1990s, the village has been called Synkiv.

Business career and assets

Firtash began his business career almost immediately after completing his military service. He founded a trading company in

Chernivtsi Chernivtsi ( uk, Чернівці́}, ; ro, Cernăuți, ; see also other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this city, which is situated on the upp ...

, Ukraine, eventually moving to Moscow in the early 1990s. In 2007, a private international group of companies,

Group DF Group DF is a diversified international group of companies whose assets are concentrated in the chemical industry, titanium production, gas, and banking sectors. In addition, the group has interests in several other areas: agriculture, media busine ...

("the Firtash group of companies") was formed to consolidate Firtash's business assets in different sectors. Presently, Group DF incorporates assets in the chemical industry, energy sector and real estate, and this consolidation effort is still underway. In 2008, Firtash was involved with a firm owned by

Paul Manafort Paul John Manafort Jr. (; born April 1, 1949) is an American lobbyist, political consultant, and attorney. A long-time Republican Party campaign consultant, he chaired the Trump presidential campaign from June to August 2016. Manafort served ...

in a $895 million project to redevelop the

Drake Hotel Drake Hotel may refer to: ;in Canada * Drake Hotel (Toronto), Ontario ;in the United States (by state) *Drake Hotel (Chicago, Illinois), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) *Drake Hotel (Gallup, New Mexico), NRHP-listed in M ...

in New York City into a spa and luxury mall to be called Bulgari Tower. According to court records, Firtash's firm had planned to invest $100 million in the project. The deal was never finalized. In 2010, Firtash launched an effort towards consolidation of the Ukrainian nitrogen business. From September 2010 to September 2011, Firtash acquired ownership in 'Concern STIROL' (

Horlivka Horlivka ( , ; uk, Го́рлівка ), or Gorlovka (russian: link=no, Горловка ), is a city of regional significance in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. In 2001, the city's population was 292,000, and it was estimated as Economic activit ...

), 'Severodonetsk Production Association Azot' and 'Cherkassy Azot'. In just over a year, the joint marketing strategy of the four fertilizer manufacturers owned by Firtash substantially strengthened its domestic market position. Firtash is co-owner of

RosUkrEnergo RosUkrEnergo is a Swiss-registered venture company that transports natural gas from Turkmenistan to East European countries. 50% of the company is owned by Gazprom, through its daughter Swiss-registered Rosgas Holding A.G., and another 50% by Swiss ...

and controls much of the Ukrainian titanium industry. He gained control of former state-owned titanium assets across Ukraine in 2004 and also owns several chemical plants under his Group DF which he formed in 2007. In May 2011, Firtash took over

Nadra Bank Nadra Bank ( uk, Надра Банк) was one of the largest commercial bank in Ukraine. It was founded in October 1993, and had its headquarters in Kyiv. The Bank ranked among the largest banks in its category according to the classification of th ...

(at the time Ukraine's 11th largest bank). Nadra Bank had gone into default in 2009, but it has since restructured its foreign debt with significant write-offs. Firtash became one of the leading investors in the power sector and chemical industry in Central and Eastern Europe. His plants and companies are present in Ukraine, Germany, Italy, Cyprus, Tajikistan, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria and Estonia. Firtash was elected President of the

Joint Representative Body A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw ...

, a joint representative agency of employers at the national level, on 29 November 2011. Firtash bought back 100 percent of

InterInter Media Group Limited Inter ( uk, Інтер) is a Ukrainian television channel. It covers 99.7 percent of Ukraine's territory.According to the channel's own information According to Kyiv Post it is among the most-watched television channels in Ukraine.Valeriy Khoroshkovskyi on 1 February 2013, for his

GDF Media Limited Inter ( uk, Інтер) is a Ukrainian television channel. It covers 99.7 percent of Ukraine's territory.According to the channel's own information According to Kyiv Post it is among the most-watched television channels in Ukraine.U.A. Inter Media Group Ltd in June 2007 while consolidating other business interests. Firtash owns seven television channels as well as an influential Kyiv-based Ukrainian News Agency. Firtash is also cited as having part ownership of SCL Group and thus Cambridge Analytica through various shell companies, by the U.S. documentary ''Active Measures'', in its breakdown of the Russian–U.S. relationship before and after the 2016 election. In April 2014, Firtash stated that despite the difficult conditions of doing business during Ukraine's political crisis, Ostchem enterprises, part of Ostchem Holding The investments directed to the development and modernization of Ostchem enterprises allowed significant increases in the production capacities of Rivne Azot, Stirol Concern, and Crimea soda plant in the first quarter of 2014. In February 2014, the

British Ministry of Defence The Ministry of Defence (MOD or MoD) is the Departments of the United Kingdom Government, department responsible for implementing the defence policy set by Government of the United Kingdom, His Majesty's Government, and is the headquarters of ...

sold the disused

Brompton Road tube station Brompton Road is a disused station on the Piccadilly line of the London Underground, located between Knightsbridge and South Kensington stations. It was closed in 1934, nearly 28 years after being opened by the Great Northern, Piccadilly and ...

to Firtash, who planned to convert the site into residential flats. the property remained undeveloped because (according to his lawyer) Firtash "could not travel from Vienna to London due to a U.S. extradition request." On 18 June 2021 the

National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC; uk, Рада національної безпеки і оборони України, RNBO or RNBOU) is the coordinating state body of the executive power under the President of Ukrai ...

imposed sanctions against Firtash because allegedly his titanium business aided the " military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation." On 4 August 2021 the previously Firtash-owned Zaporizhya Titanium-Magnesium Plant was returned to state ownership. The Commercial Court of Zaporizhzhia Oblast ruled that Firtash had not fulfilled its 2013 obligations to the

State Property Fund of Ukraine State Property Fund of Ukraine is a central body of executive power with special status and being administrated by the Cabinet of Ukraine. History State Property Fund of Ukraine was established in 1991 according to the Cabinet of Ministers' Res ...

to invest 110 million US dollars in the modernization of the plant.Zaporizhzhya Titanium and Magnesium Plant was confiscated from Firtash
Ukrayinska Pravda (4 August 2021) At the end of May 2022 26 Ukrainian regional natural gas distribution companies, most of which were controlled by Firtash, were transferred to the management of a

daughter company A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company (law), company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company ...

Naftogaz Naftogaz of Ukraine ( uk, НАК "Нафтогаз України", ''Naftogaz Ukrayiny''; literally "Petro-Gas of Ukraine") is the largest national oil and gas company of Ukraine. It is a state-owned company

. (Prior to this transfer) Firtash's regional distribution companies delivered 70% of natural gas to its customers in Ukraine.Firtash's gas business is all, Naftogaz got the monopoly. What this means for the population and the market
Ekonomichna Pravda (20 December 2022)

Business development initiatives

Firtash unified the employers' organizations of Ukraine into a single powerful association, the

(FEU), which he presided over from November 2011 to September 2016. The FEU membership includes companies and enterprises collectively generating 70 percent of Ukraine's GDP. It represents employers' interests in the economic, social and labor relations with the government and trade unions at the national level.Interfax. "Federation of Employers of Ukraine proposes electing Firtash as head of federation's council"
Interfax.com.ua (21 November 2011). Retrieved on 30 May 2014. In 2012, Firtash initiated the establishment of a venture investment fund, Bukovina, aimed at supporting small enterprises. It has become Ukraine's first investment fund offering preferential lending support to small businesses in all sectors of the economy. In October 2013, Firtash was introduced into the state commission of cooperation with the World Trade Organization by the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych.

Politics

In spring 2002, Firtash ran for parliament as a member of the all-Ukrainian political association Women for the Future, under the patronage of Lyudmila Kuchma, a wife of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. The party won 2.11% of the vote, below the 3% threshold required for representation in the Ukrainian parliament. In 2010, Firtash was involved in financing Viktor Yanukovych's presidential campaign. Firtash stated that he sincerely believed that Yanukovych would learn from the events of 2003–2004 and adopt different policies. Since 2011, they have been at odds on questions of public policy. In 2011, Firtash said that Yushchenko had planned good reforms, but Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko had not allowed him to implement them. In March 2014, on behalf of the business circles of Ukraine, Firtash addressed Aleksandr Shokhin, the Head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, and the wider business community concerning the situation in the political arena and urged Russian businessmen to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. On 3 April 2014, Firtash announced that he hoped the forthcoming presidential elections would overcome the chaos in Ukraine and strengthen the country on the international political scene. He said: "I will not allow for my reputation to be ruined by those who are driven by political motivations and are not interested in Ukraine and its people". On 11 April 2014, he urged big Ukrainian business to act according to the logic of "economic patriotism" and buy up goods in domestic companies. A profile piece published about Firtash by the BBC on 30 April 2014, stated that because he acted as a go-between in the gas trade between Turkmenistan and Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine prime minister at the time made hostile attempts to push Firtash and his firm out of Ukraine-Russia gas control negotiations in 2009. In an interview given to the BBC in May 2014, Firtash protested his innocence, denied paying bribes and any links to organized crime. He reiterated his belief that he is a pawn in the geo-political struggle between the United States and Russia. In September 2016, after serving as president of the FEU for five years, Firtash resigned the position of the FEU President. While in Austria fighting extradition to the U.S., Firtash gave an interview to his own Inter TV channel in which he called for Ukrainian business to unite in support of the state to help it to overcome the economic crises. He also promised to provide funds to support the Ukrainian army. In April, Ostchem enterprises, part of Firtash's group of companies, began supporting Ukraine's military forces.

Charity

As of 2014 Firtash was one of Ukraine's largest philanthropists per Top Ukraine.com, providing systemic support to education, theaters, museums, historical, cultural and humanitarian projects and as of 2011, to science, In 2008, the University of Cambridge in the UK established a Cambridge Ukrainian Studies program with his financial support,. In 2012, another charity initiative by Firtash enabled the establishment of Cambridge–Ukraine studentships, that made it possible for eligible students from Ukraine to seek a master's degree at the University of Cambridge. As of 2014, Firtash has been a member of the Guild of Cambridge Benefactors, which recognizes major benefactors of over £1 million to the University and Cambridge Colleges. After Firtash's arrest, human rights organizations criticized the university for accepting the funds. In 2014, Firtash financed the construction of the Ukrainian Catholic University campus in the city of Lviv. In 2011, Firtash made a sizable contribution to construction of the Holy Trinity Cathedral at the Holy Ascension Monastery in the village of Bancheny,

Chernivtsi region Chernivtsi Oblast ( uk, Черніве́цька о́бласть, Chernivetska oblast), also referred to as Chernivechchyna ( uk, Чернівеччина) is an oblast (province) in Western Ukraine, consisting of the northern parts of the regio ...

. His support was recognized by

Patriarch Kirill Kirill or Cyril (russian: link=Russian, Кирилл, chu, , secular name Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev, russian: link=no, Владимир Михайлович Гундяев; born 20 November 1946) is a Russian Orthodox bishop. He became ...

of Moscow who awarded Firtash with the Order of Venerable Serafim Sarowsky, 2nd Degree.

Controversy

As of 2011, Firtash has been a controversial figure in Ukraine. In April 2005, Oleksandr Turchynov, the head of Ukraine's Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), explained to the '' Financial Times'' that Semion Mogilevich was associated with

after SBU had collected a 20 volume file on Mogilevich over a twelve-year period. In 2006, an ally of Tymoshenko stated in the Rada that Firtash's Swiss-registered RosUkrEnergo, which has been the dominant natural gas supplier to Ukraine since 2003, replacing the Hungarian-registered

Eural Trans Gas RosUkrEnergo is a Switzerland, Swiss-registered venture company that transports natural gas from Turkmenistan to Eastern Europe, East European countries. 50% of the company is owned by Gazprom, through its daughter Swiss-registered Rosgas Holding A. ...

, which replaced Itera beginning in late 2002, had Semion Mogilevich as a silent partner. In an April 2006 ''Financial Times'' interview, Firtash explained relationships with various holding companies after Firtash's bank Raiffeisen hired

Kroll, Inc. Kroll is an American Private investigator, corporate investigation and Risk and strategic consulting, risk consulting firm established in 1972 and based in New York City. In 2018, Kroll was acquired by Duff & Phelps. In 2021, Duff & Phelps decid ...

to investigate connections to Mogilevich. According to documents uncovered in 2010 during the United States diplomatic cables leak, Firtash in 2008 had told U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor of needing permission from alleged Russian crime boss

Semyon Mogilevich Semion Yudkovich Mogilevich ( uk, Семен Юдкович Могилевич, Semén Yúdkovych Mohylévych ; born June 30, 1946) is a Ukrainian-born Russian organized crime boss. He quickly built a highly structured criminal organization, in ...

to do business in Ukraine during the lawless 1990s."WikiLeaks Reveals Sensitive U.S. Talks. – Firtash, Mogilevich Ties"
. '' Kyiv Post''. 3 December 2010 The same documents suggest that Firtash also claimed to be friends with President Viktor Yushchenko. Firtash denied the remarks. Allegedly,

, a Russian natural-gas extraction company, had asked Mogilevich to oversee natural-gas deliveries from Russia to Ukraine via gas intermediary

. All parties deny connections with Mogilevich. Other cables said Firtash and Mogilevich were linked through offshore companies either by joint ownership through former spouses or through Firtash-headed companies in which Mogilevich's former spouse was the shareholder. As of 2010, it was also suspected that

Raiffeisen Bank Raiffeisenbank refers to cooperative banks in Europe that are rooted in the early credit unions of Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen. The name is found in: * Raiffeisen Bankengruppe (Austria), Austrian group of cooperative banks. ** Raiffeisen Zentralba ...

, an Austrian-based bank, was a front to legitimize RosUkrEnergo.Rachkevych, Mark (3 December 2010).
"U.S. Official: Austrian Bank's Ties to RosUkrEnergo Suspicious"
. '' Kyiv Post''. Retrieved 14 December 2010. On 15 June 2005 after the Security Service of Ukraine started an investigation by

Oleksander Turchynov Oleksandr Valentynovych Turchynov ( uk, Олександр Валентинович Турчинов; born 31 March 1964) is a Ukrainian politician, screenwriter, Baptist minister and economist. He is the former Secretary of the National Sec ...

in May 2005, Timoshenko charged that Firtash and his

Nicosia, Cyprus Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, Romanization of Armenian, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, Capital city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is ...

based Highrock Holdings had been central to over $1 billion stolen from Ukraine through his Turkmenistan gas scheme involving both Eural Trans Gas and RosUkrEnergo. On 8 September 2005, Yushchenko dismissed Timoshenko and subsequently, on 23 September 2005, the SBU investigation into the missing money was halted by direct order of Yushchenko according to Turchynov. On 16 June 2009, Yulia Tymoshenko accused the other candidates in the

2010 Ukrainian presidential election Presidential elections were held in Ukraine on 17 January 2010. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, a run-off election was held between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych on 7 February. On 14 F ...

– Viktor Yushchenko, Arseniy Yatseniuk and Viktor Yanukovych – of sharing a single campaign headquarters financed by Firtash. She accused Firtash, who is a key contributor to Yanukovych, of fraudulently using New York real estate through which to launder money from Ukraine through the United States and then back to Ukraine to support various corrupt political activities and politicians. On 26 April 2011, Tymoshenko sued Firtash and RosUkrEnergo in a

U.S. District Court The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...

in Manhattan, accusing them of manipulating an arbitration court ruling in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

– the ruling had ordered Ukraine's state energy company,

, to pay RosUkrEnergo 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas to compensate for fuel it had "expropriated" plus 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas as a penalty. She claimed in court the Firtash had money laundered revenues from gas to support pro Kremlin and pro Putin candidates and officials in Ukraine associated with Yanukovych's political party. Both Firtash and RosUkrEnergo officials denied the allegations and a U.S. judge dismissed the lawsuits in September 2015. As of 2011, Firtash and influential multi-time Minister

Yuriy Boiko Yuriy Anatoliyovych Boyko ( uk, Юрій Анатолійович Бойко, russian: Ю́рий Анато́льевич Бо́йко; born 9 October 1958) is a Ukrainian politician who served as one of the Vice Prime Ministers of Ukraine betwe ...

were alleged to be "close associates".Russian Patriarch prays for Yanukovych, honors Firtash and Boyko (updated)
, Kyiv Post. 2 October 2011 As of 2012, analysts and Ukrainian politicians believed that Firtash was a secret force behind the sentencing of Yulia Tymoshenko in 2011, either for revenge or to hinder Ukraine's European Union integration for personal financial gain. Firtash was accused in a New York court of "masterminding" Tymoshenko's imprisonment; the case was dismissed in March 2013. In the

2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election The Ukrainian parliamentary election of 2012 took place on 28 October 2012.Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform's (UDAR) main sponsors.After the parliamentary elections in Ukraine: a tough victory for the Party of Regions
,

Centre for Eastern Studies The Centre for Eastern Studies ( pl, Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich, OSW) is a Warsaw-based think tank that undertakes independent research on the political, economic and social situation in Central and Eastern Europe, Balkans, Caucasus and Central ...

(7 November 2012) This has been denied by UDAR. On 23 July 2013, brothers Ilya and Vadim Segal, the New York-based owners of Dancroft Holdings, brought charges in New York County Supreme Court against Firtash and

, then Ukraine's eighth-largest bank. The suit accuses Firtash, the bank's owner, of seizing their assets via "sham lawsuits" over debt, and of using his connections with President Viktor Yanukovich to guarantee the outcomes in court cases. The suit stated that the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Valeriy Khoroshkovskyi, is a business partner of Firtash, together with head of the

presidential administration The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to the jurisdiction under which it operates. In general terms, administration can be described as a decision making body. United States In American usage, the ter ...

Serhiy Lyovochkin Serhiy Volodymyrovych Lyovochkin ( uk, Сергій Володимирович Льовочкін, born 17 July 1972) is a Ukrainian politician, currently a member of the Parliament of Ukraine. Over 20 years, he has held various leading posts in ...

, and former Ukrainian energy minister, Deputy Prime Minister Yuriy Boiko. According to the complaint, the SBU, in bringing charges against the Segals, was acting on behalf of Firtash. As of 2017, links between Firtash, Paul Manafort and President Trump's administration continued to make headlines with reports that the extradition case will test US/Russia relations. In 2014, a special report by Reuters documented that Gazprom sold more than 20 billion cubic metres of gas at below market prices, enabling Firtash to make up to $3 billion during the deal. The report also notes the release of documents that prove Putin extended credit lines to Firtash of up to $11 billion which helped Firtash extend influence during the 2010 presidential election in Ukraine. In 2017, United States prosecutors filed suits alleging that Firtash was involved in bribery supporting upper eschelon

Russian mafia Russian organized crime or Russian mafia (, ), otherwise known as Bratva (), is a collective of various organized crime elements originating in the former Soviet Union. The initialism OPG is Organized Criminal (''prestupnaya'' in Russian) Gr ...

Involvement in Trump–Ukraine scandal

Living in Vienna, Austria, since 2014 Firtash has been resisting extradition to the United States on bribery and racketeering charges, and has sought to have the charges dropped. Firtash's attorneys obtained a September 2019 statement from

Viktor Shokin Viktor Mykolayovych Shokin ( uk, Віктор Миколайович Шокін) is a former Prosecutor General of Ukraine. Having previously worked as an investigator for the Prosecutor General Office, he served as Prosecutor General for a year ...

, the former Ukrainian prosecutor general who was forced out under pressure from multiple countries and non-governmental organizations, as conveyed to Ukraine by then-vice president Joe Biden. Shokin asserted in the statement that Biden actually had him fired because he refused to stop his investigation into Burisma, a Ukrainian energy firm that employed Biden's son

Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

. President Donald Trump's personal attorney,

, who asserts he has "nothing to do with Firtash," has promoted the statement in television appearances as purported evidence of wrongdoing by the Bidens. Although

Lanny Davis Lanny Jesse Davis (born December 12, 1945) is an American political operative, lawyer, consultant, lobbyist, author, and television commentator. He is the co-founder and partner of the law firm of Davis Goldberg & Galper PLLC, and co-founder and ...

represented Firtash until July 2019, Firtash was represented by Trump and Giuliani associates

Joseph diGenova Joseph diGenova (born February 22, 1945) is an American lawyer and political commentator who served as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1983 to 1988. He and his wife, Victoria Toensing, are partners in the Washingto ...

and his wife

, having hired them on the recommendation of Giuliani associate

Lev Parnas Lev Parnas (born February 6, 1972) is a Ukrainian-born American businessman and associate of Rudy Giuliani. Parnas, Giuliani, Igor Fruman, John Solomon (political commentator), John Solomon, Yuriy Lutsenko, Dmytro Firtash and his allies, Victor ...

. ''The New York Times'' reported in November that Giuliani had directed Parnas to approach Firtash with the recommendation, with the proposition that Firtash could help to provide compromising information on Biden, which Parnas's attorney described was "part of any potential resolution to irtash'sextradition matter." Shokin's statement notes that it was prepared "at the request of lawyers acting for Dmitry Firtash." Bloomberg News reported on October 18 that during the summer of 2019 Firtash associates began attempting to dig up dirt on the Bidens in an effort to solicit Giuliani's assistance with Firtash's legal matters, as well as hiring diGenova and Toensing in July. Bloomberg also reported that its sources told them Giuliani's high-profile publicity of the Shokin statement had greatly reduced the chances of the Justice Department dropping the charges against Firtash, as it would appear to be a political ''quid pro quo''. Later that day, ''The New York Times'' reported that weeks earlier, before his associates

and

Igor Fruman Igor Fruman (born 1966) is a Soviet-born American businessman. He is an associate of Rudy Giuliani who, along with Lev Parnas, allegedly aided in a search in Ukraine for detrimental information on U.S. President Donald Trump's political opponen ...

were indicted, Giuliani met with officials with the criminal and fraud divisions of the Justice Department regarding what Giuliani characterized as a "very, very sensitive" foreign bribery case involving a client of his. The ''Times'' did not name whom the case involved, but shortly after publication of the story Giuliani told a reporter it was not Firtash. Two days later, the Justice Department stated its officials would not have met with Giuliani had they known his associates were under investigation by the SDNY. diGenova has said he has known attorney general Bill Barr for thirty years, as they both worked in the Reagan Justice Department. ''The Washington Post'' reported on October 22 that after they began representing Firtash, Toensing and diGenova secured a rare face-to-face meeting with Barr to argue the Firtash charges should be dropped. Prior to that mid-August meeting, Barr had been briefed in detail on the initial whistleblower complaint within the CIA that had been forwarded to the Justice Department, as well as on Giuliani's activities in Ukraine. Barr declined to intervene in the Firtash case. Firtash made his fortune brokering Ukrainian imports of natural gas from the Russian firm Gazprom. As vice president, Joe Biden had urged the Ukrainian government to eliminate middlemen such as Firtash from the country's natural gas industry, and to reduce the country's reliance on imports of Russian natural gas. Firtash denied involvement in collecting or financing damaging information on the Bidens. Vladislav Davidzon stated that Andrii Telizhenko; born 1990), a former Ukrainian diplomat at the

Ukrainian Embassy This is a list of diplomatic missions of Ukraine. Honorary consulates and trade offices are excluded from this listing. Current missions Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania Multilateral organizations Gallery File:Embas ...

in Washington, D.C., was a contractor for the public affairs firm Blue Star Strategies which had worked for Burisma Holdings.dos Santos, Nina (14 March 2020)
A Giuliani ally offered cash to lobby US senators on behalf of pro-Russian TV stations
CNN. Retrieved 26 June 2021. He is close to

. In January 2021, Telizhenko was sanctioned due to his role in the 2020 pro-Trump disinformation campaign associated with

Andrii Derkach Andrii Leonidovych Derkach ( uk, Андрій Леонідович Деркач; born 19 August 1967) is a Ukrainian politician and businessman. He has been a member of the Ukrainian Parliament from 1998 to January 2023, serving seven terms, wi ...

and

. is close to Firtash and acts as Firtash's go between.

U.S. extradition request, 2014

On 13 March 2014, Austrian authorities arrested Firtash. U.S. law enforcement authorities sought to have Firtash extradited after a judge in Virginia issued a warrant for his arrest on

bribery Bribery is the Offer and acceptance, offering, Gift, giving, Offer and acceptance, receiving, or Solicitation, soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With reg ...

and other charges. A week later, Firtash was released on bail of million (£105m, $172m), the largest in Austrian history. He said: "thankfully, I have the utmost confidence in the Austrian judicial system and will use all legal means to prove my innocence". He said U.S. authorities were making allegations that were "completely absurd and unfounded". In April 2014, a U.S. grand jury in Chicago indicted Firtash and five others under the

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) (, ''et seq.'') is a United States federal law that prohibits U.S. citizens and entities from bribing foreign government officials to benefit their business interests. The FCPA is applicable world ...

on charges that included bribery,

racketeering Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit. Originally and of ...

, and

money laundering Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...

. The charges centered on a $18.5 million bribe offered to government officials in India related to titanium mining licenses, with the minerals destined for sale to Chicago-based Boeing. In June 2019, extradition of Firtash was cleared by the Austrian Supreme Court and by Austrian Minister of Justice

Clemens Jabloner Clemens Jabloner (born 28 November 1948) is an Austrian jurist who served as Vice-Chancellor of Austria and Minister of Justice in the Bierlein government from 2019 to 2020. He previously served as president of the Supreme Administrative Court o ...

in July 2019. But as of July 2019, Firtash´s defense team suspended his extradition.

Denial of U.S. extradition and attempted return to Ukraine, 2015

On 30 April 2015, the Vienna Regional Criminal Court rejected the U.S. request for the extradition of Firtash . Judge Christoph Bauer said that the request for extradition was "politically motivated". Bauer said that in the year since Firtash's arrest in Vienna, the U.S. authorities had not provided sufficient evidence that Firtash paid bribes in India, and in particular had not provided witness statements in support of its assertions. During the proceedings, Bauer had said that he did not doubt the veracity of the Americans' witnesses so much as whether they existed at all. A '' The New York Times'' reporter described the decision as a "scathing rebuke of the Justice and State Departments", reflecting the diminished credibility of the United States authorities in the eyes of a European ally. On 25 November 2015, German media reported that Firtash could return to Ukraine and participate in the FEU on 2 December. On 26 November, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry of Ukraine, Artem Shevchenko, said that the Interior Ministry had no criminal proceedings against Firtash, but there was a proceeding for the Ostchem group in which he was summoned as a witness. On 28 November 2015, the head of the Ukrainian airspace administration instructed that airspace be closed to private aircraft, to prevent Firtash from returning.

Court of Appeal ruling on U.S. extradition, 2017

On 21 February 2017, the High Regional Court of Vienna (Oberlandesgericht Wien) reviewed the appeal and ruled that it was allowed to extradite Firtash to the U.S. The final decision on the extradition was deferred to the Federal Minister of Justice of Austria. Judge Leo Levnaic-Iwanski noted that U.S. authorities had provided additional documentation since the lower court had ruled against them. Firtash faces up to 50 years in prison and the seizure of all his assets. Immediately following the verdict, Firtash was arrested on a Spanish arrest warrant related to charges of money laundering.

Detention on Spanish and American orders, 2016

On 21 February 2017, a few minutes after the announcement of the High Court's decision, Austrian police detained Firtash at the courthouse on the basis of an EU arrest warrant issued by Spain. The Spanish warrant was issued as part of an investigation into money laundering. The prosecutor's office in Vienna detained Firtash for 48 hours to determine its course of action. On 23 February, 2017 Firtash was released from custody on the million bail deposited in 2014. However, that same day he was arrested and held in custody in connection with the U.S. extradition request. On 24 February, Vienna Regional Court dismissed the Vienna prosecutor's application to impose provisional detention pending surrender regarding the U.S. extradition case. The question where Firtash was to be extradited – to Spain or the United States – is in the jurisdiction of the Minister of Justice of Austria, Wolfgang Brandstetter. In early September 2017,

Yevhen Yenin Yevhen Volodymyrovych Yenin ( uk, Євгеній Володимирович Єнін, 19 November 1980 – 18 January 2023) was a Ukrainian diplomat and lawyer who served as the Deputy Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ukraine), Minister of Interna ...

, Deputy

Prosecutor General of Ukraine The prosecutor general of Ukraine (also procurator general of Ukraine, uk, Генеральний прокурор України) heads the system of official prosecution in courts known as the Office of the Prosecutor General ( uk, Офіс ...

, noted that Firtash's return to Ukraine was "an unrealistic event". Proceedings to hear extradition cases from the United States and Spain would be lengthy. Yenin also noted, "there is a political side to the case. If we consider the level of Firtash's defense, it includes Austria's former justice minister." In September 2017, anti-corruption groups including Human Rights Watch, proposed that Firtash be placed on the

Magnitsky List Magnitsky is a Russian surname of Orthodox clergy. Notable people with the surname include: *Leonty Magnitsky (1669–1739), Russian mathematician *Sergei Magnitsky (1972–2009), Ukrainian-born Russian auditor See also *Magnitsky Act *Magnitsky l ...

and sanctioned by the United States government. On 19 December 2017, Vienna's Higher Regional Court cited insufficient documentation linking Firtash to alleged money laundering and organized crime: it decided against extraditing Firtash from Austria to Spain.

Personal life

Firtash was married to his first wife Ludmila Grabovetskaya ( uk, Людмила Грабовецька) and they have a daughter Ivanna ( uk, Іванна) (b. 1988). He was married to his second wife, Maria Kalinovskaya ( uk, Марія Калиновська), from 2001 until 2006. His stepson, Sergei Kalinovsky ( uk, Сергій Калиновський), fled Ukraine in September 2007 after he was involved in a traffic accident on 30 May 2007 in which the driver and the passenger of a parked vehicle were killed. Kalinovsky was charged with their deaths and is on an international wanted list. As of 2016, Firtash´s wife Lada Pavlovna Firtasha ( uk, Лада Павлівна Фірташа), his daughter Anna ( uk, Ганна) (b. 2005), and son Dmitri ( uk, Дмитро) (b. 2007) were all

Russian citizens Russian citizenship law details the conditions by which a person holds citizenship of Russia. The primary law governing citizenship requirements is the federal law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation", which came into force on 1 July 2002. ...

and, as of April 2016, they all resided in Moscow. As of 2016, his oldest daughter Ivanna, and her mother Maria are Ukrainian citizens. In 2005, through LM Holdings of Nice and later the Irish firm Morga Ltd, he acquired the

Villa La Mauresque The villa ''La Mauresque'' is located in cap Ferrat (Alpes-Maritimes) and was remodeled in 1927 by Henri Delmotte, Marcel Guilgot, and the American architect Barry Dierks (1899–1960) to serve as the main residence of the British novelist S ...

near Cap Ferrat, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the

Cote d'Azur The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...

of France.

Notes

References

;Additional sources * * *

External links

Group DF
– Firtash's holding company
Personal Site of Dmitry Firtash

Site of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine
– Firtash's holding company {{DEFAULTSORT:Firtash, Dmytro Ukrainian oligarchs Ukrainian billionaires Ukrainian philanthropists Ukrainian mass media owners 1965 births Living people People from Ternopil Oblast Ukrainian people imprisoned abroad Prisoners and detainees of Austria 20th-century Ukrainian businesspeople 21st-century Ukrainian businesspeople