It became known the name of the second after Abramovich a wealthy Russian, whose business visa the UK intends to check. This is a gold miner and an investor "Chocolate Girl" Siman Povarenkin. The entrepreneur got under close scrutiny of the British authorities against the background of the investigation of the "Russian trace" in Brexit

The fact that businessman Siman Povarenkin was among 700 Russians whose British investment visas can be revised, The Guardian reported. However, the businessman himself does not have a British business visa. Povarenkin has the right to reside in the United Kingdom and possible citizenship on a visa to his wife. She moved to the UK five years ago with two children, investing in the UK economy at least £ 2 million. Povarenkin himself regularly visits a family who lives in the prestigious London area of ​​Belgravia in an apartment for £ 11.3 million, bought in 2015. As a rule, Povarenkin spends about 70 days a year in Britain.

Gold and Brexit

In early 2017, Povarenkin once again flew to Heathrow Airport. The businessman was going to the birthday of his wife and child. However, as soon as Povarenkin got off the plane, he received a summons to the High Court of London and a statement of claim. In the latter, the former business partner of Povarenkina, Ruslan Bestolov, claimed that he owed him $ 7.5 million for participating in two ore projects in Yakutia. For British law, this was a precedent. Despite the fact that Povarenkin was not a subject of the United Kingdom, the court considered him a local resident. Just because of the fact that a businessman from 2013 had the right to temporary residence in England on a business visa for his wife.

However, on the radars of the British authorities, Povarenkin was not at all because of this business conflict. London's interest in his person is explained with the possible connections of Povarenkin with businessman Arron Banks. Banks was the main sponsor of the referendum on the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union. According to The Times, he spent about 8 million pounds sterling on the campaign for Brexit. This kind of generosity is explained in part by the British media by the influence of Russian officials. According to The Guardian, Banks met with the Russian Ambassador to Great Britain Alexander Yakovenko three times in 2015-2016. At one of the meetings, Yakovenko introduced the British to Povarenkin, who is on the Russian business council after. Speech at the meeting was that Banks could participate in the purchase of gold deposits in Siberia, owned by Povarenkin. The deal could potentially bring a supporter of Brexit billions of dollars, follows from the documents referred to by the publication.

But last week Banks testified about relations with Russia before the British parliamentarians. He said that the deal with Povarenkin had not taken place. "Business is a constant communication. But if you have lunch with someone and discussed something, this does not mean that you have joint business, "- said the British businessman, adding that he has no business in Russia. "We have a full-scale hunt for Russian witches," Banks sneered, being married to a Russian woman. "But before that [communication with the Russians] was not a problem." British media claimed that Arron Banks continued to discuss a possible deal with Povarenkin and after a meeting in London - even flew to Moscow in February 2016. Later, Banks denied the fact of the trip.

Povarenkin himself claimed the publication of The Bell, that he did not conduct any negotiations with Banks, but only did for the Briton a brief review of the Russian gold market at a meeting in the Russian embassy in London. In the company "GeoPromining" Povarenkina did not respond to the request of Forbes.

Gold and pancakes

The Guardian calls Povarenkin a classic "minigarch", which conducts business in the usual way for Russia under the guise of an influential "roof." The publication also claims that the businessman is close to the Kremlin. However, as evidence only used the fact that the state-owned Sberbank owns 31.5% in the gold mining company Povarenkina.

About Povarenkin's business is not known so much. His main asset is the company "GeoPromining". It was established in 2007 after the division of business with the ex-partner and former Energy Minister Sergei Generalov, head of the Industrial Investors group (for example, it belonged to the share in the company Fesco, which from Generalova in 2012 was bought by the group "Sum" Ziyavudin Magomedov ). Povarenkin, who headed the board of directors of Prominvestors, bought from Generalov mining and metallurgical assets in Russia and Armenia, which became the basis for GeoPromining's business. In addition to gold, "Geopromining" produces silver, molybdenum, antimony and copper. Povarenkin also owns GPM Asia, which produces zircon and natural titanium compounds in Beng Thuang province in southeast Vietnam. Financial indicators are not disclosed.

Povarenkina has interests not only in the ore business. He invests in other projects through Acmero Capital, which is registered in Hong Kong. Under the management of Acmero - about $ 500 million, says its website. The most famous Acmero deal was the purchase in 2015 of 40% of the network "Chocolate Girl". As a result of the transaction, a holding company was formed that unites the chains of the café "Chocolate House", "Coffee House", "Wabi Sabi", "Asia Cafe" and the Israeli brand of confectioneries "Max Brenner". At the same time, based on the results of the transaction, the combined networks could be estimated at 7 billion rubles without debt, RBC wrote.

In 2016, Acmero closed the deal to buy 38% of the transport company Monopoly, promising to invest 1 billion rubles in the purchase of new trucks during 2016. Acmero also invested in the group of companies RBE, which specializes in catering, cleaning, semi-finished products, management of commercial real estate and energy services. In particular, now the company supplies food for the trains "Sapsan", "Strizh" and "Swallow". According to SPARK, Povarenkin was the owner of 50% in the company RBE from May 2016 to May 2017. Then he sold his share to Nikolai Ruzanov, co-owner of a number of regional branches of the chain "Chocolate Girl".

Povarenkin also owns a villa in Normandy, where he spends his summer with his family. The former owner of the villa was Yves San Laurent. Poverenkin bought it for € 9.6 million in 2009 - a year after the death of a famous fashion designer.