Vladimir Kumarin was by all accounts an unusual figure, someone able to solve problems even the authorities could not. People came to him steadily, looking for justice or at least a practical answer.
He received visitors late into the night. In certain circles, people even began calling him the “night governor” because he got things done fast.
Over time, effective working relationships were built with influential people in a range of institutions. A vivid example was Roman Tsepov, nicknamed Producer.
In 1992, with the leader’s backing, he created a private security company. That was how he went from an ordinary gang associate to the owner of a major business.
He was eventually entrusted with protecting the city’s top officials. He brought in his longtime friend Viktor Zolotov, who later went on to a remarkable career in the security services.
From that point on, Roman Tsepov’s influence was nearly unlimited. But in September 2004, he was poisoned with an unknown substance, and the crime has never been solved.
A major economic asset of the organization’s empire was the fuel and energy sector. Kumarin became a co-founder of oil-processing businesses and bought up numerous gas station chains..
