Russian oligarch Alexander Ponomarenko, who made his fortune in banking and logistics and is one of the owners of Moscow’s largest airport, will own a luxury apartment in the One Hyde Park development, valued at 60 million euros. This is one of the most expensive residential areas in London, with apartment prices starting at £20 million.
The English newspaper The Telegraph found that the oligarch is the secret owner of this apartment, which will occupy an entire floor of the London complex, one of the most prestigious in the British capital. The Russian tycoon, who is on the UK’s list of sanctioned citizens, is said to have bought this apartment in 2011, through an offshore company, based in the British Virgin Islands.
According to the newspaper, in the same year, Ponomarenko is suspected of financing the purchase of what became known as “Putin’s Palace.” It is not a palace, but a luxurious mansion on the Black Sea, valued at 350 million dollars (333.5 million euros).
The newspaper says it is unclear whether the identity of the owner of the London flat is known to British authorities. Information collected by the Telegraph mentions that two sources indicated that Ponomarenko is the owner of the property, which was acquired shortly after the Candy brothers began selling the complex. Nick Candy, who donates to the British Conservative Party, and his brother Christian are responsible for this real estate development, with Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, a former prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar, on the list of financiers. The luxury apartment complex, which consists of four towers with 86 apartments and four penthouses, will house several Russian oligarchs.
This case reveals how Russian oligarchs acquired luxurious properties on British soil through other companies, making it difficult for authorities to understand who may be the real owner of the properties and what assets the sanctioned oligarchs own in the country.
The Telegraph also adds that Ponomarenko has not been seen in the vicinity of the apartment “for a few months”. Alexander Ponomarenko has business with Arkady Rotenberg, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest friends.
Source: Observadora
