A huge empire and billions of dollars’ worth of wealth, Yevgeny Prigozhin, commander of the Russian Wagner Group, left it after he was killed in his plane crash on Wednesday, near Moscow, accompanied by 9 other people headed by one of the group’s founder Dmitry Utkin.
Following the crash, followers considered the incident “a vendetta to President Vladimir Putin for himself” after the rebellion, led by Prigogen at the end of June, embarrassed the Russian leader who was trying to tighten his grip on the military, especially after the start of the war in Ukraine, according to AFP.
The circumstances of the crash on the Prigogen plane and some of his relatives raised speculation about his possible assassination and numerous accounts of the crash.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Prigozhin’s last trip to Africa involved coordination between his group and related militias. Highlights of this trip include:
• The Wagner Group’s presence in Africa includes around 5,000 men scattered across the continent.
• Prigozhin’s recent moves indicated he was planning for the future, looking to expand his network in Africa.
• He visited the Central African Republic the Friday before last and told its president, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, that his quashed rebellion in Russia in June would not deter him from bringing in new fighters and investments for his business partners in the country.
• In his final days, he met with five leaders from Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces and bestowed upon them gifts of gold bars after supplying them with ground-to-air missiles.
Western media estimates put Yevgeny Prigozhin’s net worth at over 1.2 billion dollars.
• He secured contracts worth 2 billion dollars from the Russian government for his military company.
• He profited from the natural resources in African countries, and his companies made 250 million dollars there in four years, before the Ukrainian war, according to the Financial Times.
• His personal fortune is reportedly around 1 billion pounds sterling.
• The value of contracts he made with Russian government entities like schools, kindergartens, and the army is over 3 billion dollars, as per Russia’s Anti-Corruption Foundation.
Future Outlook:
The unexpected demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves a gaping void in the leadership and strategic direction of the Wagner Group. It raises questions on the future of the group’s operations, particularly in Africa, and leaves the future of this private military empire hanging in the balance.
The mysterious death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the commander of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, has ignited speculation over who will inherit his billion-dollar fortune. According to American reports, Prigozhin leaves behind a son, Pavel, who fought with Wagner in Syria, as well as daughters Polina and Veronika, and his wife Lyubov. All of them have played different roles in amassing Prigozhin’s wealth.
The family is known to participate in horse competitions across Europe, spanning countries like Germany, France, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Spain. Moreover, Prigozhin made his name through his catering companies and restaurants, even supplying food and beverages for official Kremlin events.
In the wake of his short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin last June, Russian forces found nearly 600 million rubles or 6.58 million US dollars, gold bars, and weapons while searching his mansion.
Matyushin Victor, a researcher at Tavriske University in Ukraine, says estimating the true extent of Prigozhin’s empire is “difficult.” He added, “Taking control of Wagner’s wealth sources will not be easy for Russia.”
To further underline the complexity of Prigozhin’s empire, the research group “All Eyes on Wagner” examined the records of 30 companies linked to Wagner in Mali, Sudan, and Central Africa since Prigozhin’s rebellion. So far, no changes in ownership have been detected.
Following the storming of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mansion, Russian media released footage of stacked boxes of Russian rubles. The mansion also featured a personal helicopter, a private prayer room, a spa resort, a sauna area, an indoor swimming pool, and a fully-equipped medical treatment room.
David Lewis, a researcher at Exeter University, estimates: “It’s likely that different factions associated with the Russian army will attempt to seize these lucrative business contracts and create new proxy forces after the death of Wagner’s leader.”
American expert Peter Alex told Sky News Arabia that Wagner Group, according to Western and Russian estimates, owns around 100 economic entities in supply and logistics sectors. Among them are approximately six companies operating in mining and the principal holding company “Concord.”
“Prigozhin transferred some of his assets to Wagner elements before the failed rebellion against the Kremlin on June 24th,” he said. “Thanks to his intricate business relations in Russia, Wagner has controlled a massive network of commercial companies.”
His close relationship with Putin since the 1990s turned him into a wealthy man among Russian elites, thanks to the privileged contracts he won, including catering for the Kremlin. “The short rebellion led by Prigozhin put Putin in a difficult and embarrassing situation. His outspoken criticism of Russian military leaders, especially Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, and the withdrawal of his forces from the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, all contributed to the Kremlin turning against him.”
“After the rebellion, the Kremlin took control of the business network established by Prigozhin, and Russian authorities confiscated assets estimated at around 48 million dollars, not counting gold bars. Prigozhin’s empire is now completely at stake, just like the future of Wagner, following talks about Kremlin’s attempts to nationalize these assets. Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a decree requiring members of irregular armed groups to swear an oath, just like army soldiers.”
Prigozhin’s wealth spans various sectors, including finance, construction, supply, logistics, mining, natural resources, and even horse trading.