Yevgeny Prigozhin

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin (Russian: Евгений Викторович Пригожин), born 1961, is Russian businessman and chef for Vladimir Putin.[1]

According to journalists’ investigations, the office in Olgino was named as Internet Research Agency Ltd.(Russian: ООО «Агентство интернет-исследований»).[2] The company was founded in the summer of 2013.

Journalists also point out that Alexey Soskovets, who had participated in Russian youth political community, was directly connected to the office in Olgino. His company, North-Western Service Agency, won 17 or 18 (according to different sources) contracts for organizing celebrations, forums and sport competitions for authorities of Saint Petersburg. The agency was the only participant in half of those bids. In the summer of 2013 the agency won a tender for providing freight services for participants of Seliger camp.[3]

In 2014, according to Russian media, Internet Research Ltd. (Russian: ООО «Интернет исследования»), founded in March 2014, joined the agency's activity. Novaya Gazeta newspaper claim this company to be a successor of Internet Research Agency Ltd. Internet Research Ltd. is considered to be linked to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, head of the holding company Concord. The "Trolls of Olgino" from Saint Petersburg are considered to be his project. As of October 2014, the company belonged to Mikhail Bystrov, who had been the head of the police station at Moscow district of Saint Petersburg.

Russian media point out that according to documents, published by hackers from Anonymous International, Concord is directly involved with trolling administration through the agency. Researchers cite e-mail correspondence, in which Concord gives instructions to trolls and receives reports on accomplished work. According to journalists' information, Concord organized banquets in Kremlin and also cooperated with Voentorg and the Russian Ministry of Defence.[4]

Despite links to Alexei Soskovets, Nadejda Orlova, deputy head of the Committee for Youth Policy in Saint Petersburg, disputed connection between her institution and the trolling offices.

Finnish journalist Jessikka Aro, who extensively reported on the pro-Russian trolling activities in Finland, was in response targeted by an organized campaign of hate, disinformation and harassment.[5][6][7]

The Anti-Corruption Foundation accused Prigozhin of corrupt business practices; his illegal wealth estimated to be worth more than 1 billion roubles.[8]

Yevgeny Prigozhin was twice convicted, in 1979 and 1981. He stayed in prison for a total of nine years.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Navalny asks FSB to investigate Putin's cook
  2. ↑ Andrew Soshnikov (2014-05-30). "Интернет-тролли из Ольгино заговорили на английском и украинском" [Internet trolls from Olgino start talking in English and Ukrainian]. Moy Rayon (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  3. ↑ Andrew Soshnikov (2013-09-04). "Под Петербургом обнаружено логово троллей, которые клеймят Навального и хвалят русское кино" [Near St. Petersburg lies the lair of trolls that brand and praise Russian cinema]. Moy Rayon (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  4. ↑ Victor Ryezunkov (2015-03-16). ""Кремлівські тролі" розповіли про себе: де сидять і чим займаються" ['The Kremlin trolls' tell me where they sit and what they do]. Radio Liberty (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  5. ↑ Jessikka Aro (2015-11-09). "My Year as a Pro-Russia Troll Magnet: International Shaming Campaign and an SMS from Dead Father". Yle Kioski. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  6. ↑ Jessikka Aro (2015-06-24). "This is What Pro-Russia Internet Propaganda Feels Like – Finns Have Been Tricked into Believing in Lies". Yle Kioski. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  7. ↑ Higgins, Andrew (2016-05-30). "Effort to Expose Russia’s ‘Troll Army’ Draws Vicious Retaliation". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  8. ↑ Он повар Путина. Он тролль Путина. Он миллиардер. (He is the Putin's cook. He is the Putin's troll. He is a billionaire.)
  9. ↑ The Putin's cook, a king of dislikes: story of success (there are English subtitles)
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