“Lev Leviev Born Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 1956. When he was 15 converted the family’s wealth to rough diamonds and immigrated to Israel. Like tumult – made money in Russia in 1989 and in Angola in diamond mining by backing the winning govt side in 2000. A security company contracted by him was accused by a local human rights monitor of “humiliation, whipping, torture, sexual abuse, and assassinations. “ . He is the world’s biggest cutter and polisher of diamonds; owns companies in a wide range of Israeli industries, from swimwear to steel, claims to be biggest single player in Russian real estate. In the 90s, he was widely believed to help the Russian govt. sell off it’s diamond stockpile, although he denies this, but has the favor of Russian President Putin. In the US, his company, Africa-Israel, owns 1,700 Fina gas stations and is the country’s largest 7-11 franchisee. And huge land and building assets in NYC bought shortly after 9.11. IN 2007 he bought the Times building for $525M. Gives $30M a year to the Hasidic Jewish movement and has made it his goal for all Jewish children in NY to go to religious rather than secular schools. ”
