Patokh Chodiev

2017-03-27T09:49:59Z

Eringround: cleared up language, added new info and sources

{{ Infobox Person
| name = Patokh Chodiev
| birth_date = 15 April 1953
| birth_place = Uzbekistan
}}

'''Patokh Chodiev''' ({{lang-ru|Фа́ттох Каюмович Шо́диев}}; ''Fáttoh Kayúmovich Shódiev''; born 15 April 1953, in [[Jizzakh]] ([[Uzbek SSR]]),<ref>{{lang-fr| }}"Chodiev, Patokh, né à Jizak (Ouzbékistan) (Russie) le 15 avril 1953" in Ministère de la Justice, [http://staatsbladclip.zita.be/moniteur/lois/1997/08/13/loi-1997009624-print.html Loi accordant les naturalisations], ''[[Belgian Official Journal]]'', 25 June 1997</ref> is a [[London]]-based [[Uzbeks|Uzbek]] oligarch with [[Belgian nationality law|Belgian citizenship]] who, with [[Alexander Mashkevich]] and [[Alijan Ibragimov]], is part of the "Trio," a group of Central Asian businessmen who made their fortune through deals in minerals, oil, gas, and banking in Kazakhstan. Chodiev is currently ranked #1275 on the ''[[Forbes]]'' list of billionaires.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/patokh-chodiev/?list=billionaires|title=Patokh Chodiev|work=Forbes|access-date=2017-03-22|language=en}}</ref>

==Biography==
Patokh Chodiev was born in [[Uzbekistan]]. He studied [[international law]] and [[Japanese language|Japanese]] at the Moscow State Institute of International Affairs (MGIMO),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/71a13774-b3e0-11e2-ace9-00144feabdc0|title=ENRC founders made good in Kazakhstan|last=|first=|date=May 3, 2013|website=Financial Times|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=March 22, 2017}}</ref> graduating with a doctorate in political science. Speaking Japanese fluently, he joined the diplomatic service specializing in Russian-Japanese commercial relations and subsequently lived in [[Tokyo]] for a few years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/c-est-qui-ce-chodiev/article-normal-118743.html|title=C'est qui, ce Chodiev ?|date=2012-10-27|access-date=2017-03-22}}</ref>

In 1996, Chodiev created an international charitable organization, the Chodiev Foundation, to promote innovation, art and education in [[Eurasia]] and [[Southeast Asia]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lesoir.be/1380121/article/actualite/belgique/2016-11-30/chodiev-est-aussi-mecene-revele-knack|title=Chodiev est aussi mécène, révèle Knack|last=lesoir.be|work=lesoir.be|access-date=2017-03-22}}</ref>

On 27 June 1997 Patokh Chodiev acquired Belgian citizenship. This led to a debate in the media about how his naturalization was obtained, since Chodiev does not speak any of the three official languages of Belgium ([[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[French language|French]] or [[German language|German]]) fluently. Furthermore, the [[Belgian State Security Service]] expressed concerns about Chodiev’s relations to other [[Russia|Russian]] businessmen.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dhnet.be/actu/faits/milliardaire-belge-inculpe-51b7c11fe4b0de6db98bf152|title=Milliardaire belge inculpé|access-date=2017-03-22|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.marcernst.com/dwnlds/Walter_De_Bock_Tractebel.pdf|title=Tractebel draait zijn Kazak|last=|first=|date=2 February 2002|website=|publisher=De Morgen|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=22 March 2002}}</ref>

Patokh Chodiev was also accused of having received help in this matter from the mayor of [[Waterloo]], [[Serge Kubla]]. His Belgian naturalization was finally the subject of an official inquiry in January 2017, about which the Belgian newspaper ''[[Le Soir]]'' wrote on 11 January 2017: “When Serge Kubla wrote to Claude Eerdekens on 16 May 1997, all the lights were already green for Chodiev: he had the support of the SPF Justice, the State Security Service, the Aliens Department, the Waterloo police and the Public Prosecutor's Office, and therefore also that of the naturalization service.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://plus.lesoir.be/77198/article/2017-01-11/kazakhgate-qui-pouvait-savoir-en-1997|title=Kazakhgate: «Qui pouvait savoir en 1997?»|work=Le Soir Plus|access-date=2017-03-27|language=en}}</ref> On March 8, 2017, Serge Kubla assured “under oath" not to have intervened on Chodiev’s behalf.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lesoir.be/1456113/article/actualite/belgique/politique/2017-03-08/kazakhgate-kubla-assure-sous-serment-ne-pas-avoir-agi-dans-dossier-chodi|title=Kazakhgate: Kubla assure «sous serment» ne pas avoir agi dans le dossier Chodiev|last=lesoir.be|work=lesoir.be|access-date=2017-03-27}}</ref>

In 1999, the energy company [[Tractebel]] lodged a complaint against two of its employees, accusing them of embezzling part of the $55 million in consulting fees paid by Tractebel to Patokh Chodiev and his two associates.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/c-est-qui-ce-chodiev/article-normal-118743.html|title=C'est qui, ce Chodiev ?|date=2012-10-27|access-date=2017-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lalibre.be/economie/libre-entreprise/un-dossier-embarrassant-51b87737e4b0de6db9a6c0c5|title=Un dossier embarrassant|access-date=2017-03-27|language=fr}}</ref> Separate to this case, the three partners were under investigation in Belgium for [[forgery]] and [[money laundering]], but the [[Brussels]] public prosecutor dropped any proceedings on June 17, 2011, within the framework of the extension to the criminal transaction law.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/c-est-qui-ce-chodiev/article-normal-118743.html|title=C'est qui, ce Chodiev ?|date=2012-10-27|access-date=2017-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lesoir.be/1172633/article/actualite/belgique/2016-04-05/panama-papers-fortune-cachee-chodiev|title=Panama Papers: la fortune cachée de Chodiev|last=lesoir.be|work=lesoir.be|access-date=2017-03-27}}</ref> As such the three paid a lump sum settlement of 522,500 euros.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/kazakhgate-chodiev-n-a-paye-que-522-500-euros-pour-sa-transaction/article-normal-577073.html|title=Kazakhgate : Chodiev n'a payé que 522.500 euros pour sa transaction|date=2016-11-25|access-date=2017-03-27}}</ref>

Together with Alexander Mashkevich and Alijan Ibragimov, Chodiev runs various ventures in the minerals sector in [[Kazakhstan]], [[Africa]] and [[Brazil]]. In 2007, their enterprise was floated on the [[London Stock Exchange]] and became part of the FTSE 100 in 2008. In 2009, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), one of the world's leading natural resource companies, of which Chodiev is a major shareholder, generated a profit of $1.462 billion from a turnover of $3.8 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/E0O5.html|title=Patokh Chodiev, The World's Richest People - Forbes.com|website=www.forbes.com|access-date=2017-03-27}}</ref> Based in [[London]], ENRC exploited a number of mineral deposits in Kazakhstan and Africa after acquiring numerous mining operations in Eastern Europe and Africa. In November 2013, in collaboration with the Kazakh government, the group left the London Stock Exchange,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/aug/02/enrc-kazakhmys-takeover-de-list|title=ENRC founders step closer to de-listing following Kazakhmys vote|last=Goodley|first=Simon|date=2013-08-02|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-03-27|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> was renamed "Eurasian Resources Group" (ERG) and is registered in Luxembourg as a company specializing in natural resources.

Patokh Chodiev was named among the 732 [[Belgians]] linked to offshore companies when the [[Panama Papers]] scandal broke in April 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/dossier/les-revelations-des-panama-papers/detail_des-details-sur-le-patrimoine-dissimule-du-milliardaire-belge-chodiev?id=9261514|title=Panama Papers: la fortune dissimulée du milliardaire belge Patokh Chodiev|date=2016-04-06|work=RTBF Info|access-date=2017-03-24|language=fr-FR}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/5385/panama-papers-fortune-of-belgian-billionaire-chodiev-concealed-in-anguilla|title=The Brussels Times - Panama Papers - Fortune of Belgian billionaire Chodiev concealed in Anguilla|last=News|first=TBT|access-date=2017-03-24|language=en-gb}}</ref>

===Forbes ranking of the richest people in the world===
* [http://www.forbes.com/static/bill2005/LIRE0O5.html?passListId=10&passYear=2005&passListType=Person&uniqueId=E0O5&datatype=Person 2005] (first appearance in Forbes): nr. 620, $1 bil.
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/E0O5.html 2006]: nr. 382, $2.0 bil.
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Patokh-Chodiev_E0O5.html 2007]: nr. 538, $1.9 bil.
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Patokh-Chodiev_E0O5.html 2008]: nr. 334, $3.3 bil.
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/10/billionaires-2009-richest-people_Patokh-Chodiev_E0O5.html 2009]: nr. 601, $1.2 bil.
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/10/billionaires-2010_Patokh-Chodiev_E0O5.html 2010]: nr. 287, $3.3 bil.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604000513/http://www.forbes.com/global/2006/0327/034.html |date=4 June 2011 |title=Sittard hired }}
* [http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2006/0327/164.html Trio’s ENRC seeks IPO]
* [http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2006/0327/164.html Forbes magazine on Trio]

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chodiev, Patokh}}
[[Category:Kazakhstani businesspeople]]
[[Category:Belgian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Businesspeople in the oil industry]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani billionaires]]
[[Category:Belgian billionaires]]
[[Category:Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation]]
[[Category:People named in the Panama Papers]]

Kazakhstan Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

Patokh Chodiev