Look forward to the replies to this one!Someone at work was asking today what became of Belokon?
Walked away with £31 million - wonder if he'd fancy another dabble with a reputable owner?
He settled. Don't know about the ex-wife bit, but I'd imagine the BFC money wasn't a substantial part of his wealth. Unless the Court of Tellytubby took it all away.I would imagine his ex wife got quite a chunk, that's even if he got the full amount, which is doubtful.
He's spoken out against Russian influence before.Maybe supporting Putin and Russia in the destruction of Ukraine.
Could have been worse, he could have had 3 nights with the Cheeky Girls.A massive bag of Columbian marching powder and a night with the Cheeky girls apparently?
More likely on an industrial batch of Automatic Washing Powder.... Gotta keep that cash cleanA massive bag of Columbian marching powder and a night with the Cheeky girls apparently?
Really? A Latvian supporting Putin's expansionism?Maybe supporting Putin and Russia in the destruction of Ukraine.
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. There have been some real arseholes who have paased the owners test in the last few years. Belekon, to whom I also will be eternally grateful, would be whiter than white compared to some of them.Last I read, his banking interests were receiving some serious heat in the international courts. I'm eternally grateful that his action tipped the balance on the end of the Oyston years, but I suspect even if he wanted to return to football club ownership he might be disbarred these days.
I didn’t know she had shares in the South Paddock and transfer feesI would imagine his ex wife got quite a chunk, that's even if he got the full amount, which is doubtful.
He took me and TAM out for a nice steak meal in MayfairLegend but disappointed that after all the BFC warriors who attended Court, he just seemed to disappear without much recognition of the support he got.
Please correct me if not true
He’s originally from Russia from memory, wasn’t he an ex sniper in the Russian army? If not then the thought of it certainly scared karlyboy to deathReally? A Latvian supporting Putin's expansionism?
I believe he did eventually get his full amount when Owen sold the farm and land at Lytham for a lot more than expectedI would imagine his ex wife got quite a chunk, that's even if he got the full amount, which is doubtful.
Agree there are and will continue to be some complete wrong uns taking interests in football. That elephant shooting shithouse Sam Kroenke who effectively owns Arsenal for starters. The Belekon money is long gone though and won't be coming back. When I visited Riga on a break after the famous judgement I did drop by his bank hq, and actually left a bottle of Highland Park 12 year old with reception as a thank you for a job well done. It would have been nice to have had the money invested back into the club too. For reasons outlined by TAM above that won't ever happen of course. We just have to accept it and move on.I wouldn’t be so sure about that. There have been some real arseholes who have paased the owners test in the last few years. Belekon, to whom I also will be eternally grateful, would be whiter than white compared to some of them.
He certainly was a sniper but that was in the Soviet army, when Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union.He’s originally from Russia from memory, wasn’t he an ex sniper in the Russian army? If not then the thought of it certainly scared karlyboy to death
We discussed that at the first meetingAnyone who thinks he was in BFC for a return is well wide of the mark. The money he got was down to the incompetence of the main owners- had they kept him sweet the money would never have been taken out.
Bloke owned a bank, a brewery and god know's what else. BFC was smallfry to him- a likely nice diversion with opportunities beyond that.
The casino was likely a driver behind his involvement.
And if he was guilty of anything it was of being naive when dealing with OO, initially at least.
And by way of balance here’s a report on the current human rights position in Kyrgyzstan.
World Report 2023: Rights Trends in Kyrgyzstan
www.hrw.org
The Kyrgyz have been doggedly determined to get the money back that Maxim Bakiyev stole from their country and understandably so, I think it was the equivalent of a couple of percent of the GDP that ultimately went missing. Belokon's conviction was upheld in the Paris Court of Appeals, it's worth pointing out.You'd have to be a bit naive not to think that VB was a ruthless businessman, given where he made his money.
That said, that conviction in Kyrgyzstan was clearly state-sponsored. It was illuminating to see the speed at which Shaun Harvey and his acolytes used it to censure him though.
I believe Mr Harvey has been black balled at a local golf club…… some kind of karma?You'd have to be a bit naive not to think that VB was a ruthless businessman, given where he made his money.
That said, that conviction in Kyrgyzstan was clearly state-sponsored. It was illuminating to see the speed at which Shaun Harvey and his acolytes used it to censure him though.
I always remember Oyston's QC standing up on Judgement Day and begging Sir Marcus (PBUH) not to make his financial award until the EFL had had an opportunity to discuss the Judgement at a meeting planned for about ten days after. To this day we have never been told whether that meeting actually took place, let alone what might have been said.
It has improved a lot since Harvey got his marching orders, but there is so much more that could have been done that hasn't.
to answer a previous point, i understand it was the former (tory) MP for wyre, harold elletson, that introduced the odious ones to VB.We discussed that at the first meeting
He was very much an anglophile as you might have realised from his John Steed style clothes when interviewed by Jack
His answer was that he and OO shook hands and knew what the deal was
What we would call ' a gentleman's agreement '
To VB that was enough and to be honest that's how business should work
Thankfully Marcus Smith agreed despite OO's attempts to argue that what he accepted that he'd agreed wasn't binding on him
I believe Mr Harvey has been black balled at a local golf club…… some kind of karma?
to answer a previous point, i understand it was the former (tory) MP for wyre, harold elletson, that introduced the odious ones to VB.
as i recall, the concept of the 'gentleman's agreement' and what that realistically meant for the purposes of a favourable outcome for VB and us, could only be relevant if set in the context of the wider (and v complex) forensic evidence. it was thoroughly tested and knitted together brilliantly by QCs andrew green and fraser campbell; it was, quite frankly, compelling to watch. glad i was there to see it and the watertight judgment.
full marks to TAM for the john steed reference - one for the teenagers, no doubt. got this 7" single in my record collection :
View attachment 17866
He wouldn't pass the fit and proper person test.Someone at work was asking today what became of Belokon?
Walked away with £31 million - wonder if he'd fancy another dabble with a reputable owner?
Born in Latvia. He’s as Latvian as Kimmel BeerHe’s originally from Russia from memory, wasn’t he an ex sniper in the Russian army? If not then the thought of it certainly scared karlyboy to death
Didn't Rosthorn write an article contending that Oyston was stitched up by the establishment on his rape conviction?Two million stolen dollars that took Blackpool Football Club into the FA Premiership
Courts on three continents hammered Valeri Belokon for money laundering but a London high court judge awarded him £31.7mnnorthwestbylines.co.uk
Here’s an interesting article from 12 months ago.
The author is a long time collaborator of Owen Oyston.
And by way of balance here’s a report on the current human rights position in Kyrgyzstan.
World Report 2023: Rights Trends in Kyrgyzstan
www.hrw.org
A book. The Oyston files.Didn't Rosthorn write an article contending that Oyston was stitched up by the establishment on his rape conviction?
He was a Russian speaking LatvianBorn in Latvia. He’s as Latvian as Kimmel Beer
I worked in Eastern Europe quite a bit in the late 90's, they could all speak Russian ! I asked a Hungarian who could speak 7 languages why Russian(as they immediately told you they disliked them intensely) - he replied "because they made us"He was a Russian speaking Latvian
After WW2 USSR populated the Baltic states with Russians to assimilate the population into the Soviet state
Valeri will have been second or third generation Latvian I suspect They make up about 25% of the population
Latvian and Russian are very different languages as they come from different language groups - a bit like English and Welsh / Gaelic