“Important stories”: Abramovich bought 25% of the largest TV advertising seller in the country in 2003, and in 2010 sold the stake to Roldugin

Billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003 bought 25% of the Video International company, which in the second half of the 2000s occupied more than 50% of the market for all television advertising in Russia, and in 2010 sold them to cellist Sergei Roldugin, who is considered the wallet of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was reported by the publication “Important Stories” with reference to the leak of documents from Cypriot companies.

Until 2003, 41.5% of the company belonged to Yuri Zampol, a friend of the former Minister of Press, Television and Radio Broadcasting and Media Mikhail Lesin, who was close to the Yeltsin family, note “Important Stories”.

On September 10, 2003, Zampol sold 12.5% ​​of Video International to the Cyprus company Finoto Holdings, and another 12.5% ​​to Grosora Holdings. Both of these companies are associated with Abramovich.

According to leaked documents, the billionaire acquired the stake for just eight million rubles (about $270 thousand), and the very next year he earned $1.8 million in dividends.

It was believed that Video International was sold to Yuri Kovalchuk's structures in 2010, but Cypriot documents show that Abramovich's share went to companies associated with Roldugin for $40 million.

Video International was founded in 1989 by several IISS graduates, including Lesin and Zampol. In 1994, Lesin formally left the company, but in fact often visited Zampol's office, and he was believed to remain a key figure in Video International, Important Stories note. In 1996, Lesin helped in the election campaign of President Boris Yeltsin, as a result of which he became close to his family and subsequently became Minister of Press, Broadcasting and Media. It was Lesin who helped Video International take a key place in the advertising market, the publication writes.

As Kommersant wrote , in 2010 Video International controlled more than 60% of the market. The company closed in 2016.