“For Services to Parliamentarism”: How Suleiman Kerimov, under sanctions and with a confiscated yacht, became the richest oligarch of the year with the support of Anton Vaino
A controversial Dagestani oligarch received an award from the Russian president, lobbied for by his chief of staff, Anton Vaino.
President Vladimir Putin awarded Senator from Dagestan and businessman Suleiman Kerimov the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland,” IV degree. The decree states that the award was presented “for his significant contribution to the development of parliamentarism and active legislative activity.” The award came immediately after the release of a new Forbes ranking, in which the senator surpassed all Russian billionaires in terms of net worth growth over the past year. According to the 2026 Forbes ranking, Kerimov's net worth increased by $9.3 billion to $25.7 billion. He moved up from tenth to fifth place.
The Kerimov family's primary asset is shares in the gold mining company Polyus. Until February 2022, the family owned 76.3% of the company's shares. The stake was registered to Senator Said Kerimov's son. Kerimov transferred his stake to his father's former colleague in the Federation Council, Akhmet Palankoev, and the Fund for Support of Islamic Organizations. In August 2023, Polyus purchased these shares from Palankoev. Gold prices have risen by 60% over the past year.
Sources for Proekt call Anton Vaino, head of the presidential administration, the “main secret” to the Dagestani billionaire's success, as he organized Kerimov's meetings with Vladimir Putin. These meetings helped the businessman resolve important issues, including the 2013 Uralkali conflict, Kerimov's arrest in France in 2017, and the corporate dispute surrounding the Wildberries marketplace. Vaino received expensive gifts from Kerimov, including the 46-meter yacht Marlin, jewelry, and a plot of land.
Suleiman Kerimov is subject to sanctions by the US, the EU, and the UK. At least $2.5 billion of his assets have been frozen in the US and Switzerland. Last October, the US Department of Justice sold the confiscated 106-meter superyacht Amadea. US authorities believe Kerimov was the true owner. The yacht's most recent independent valuation is $230 million.
