booktalesy 77. The Kumarin family's wealth
77. The Kumarin family's wealth
"I really want a child, is that okay?"
Marina gently nudged Li Xiang, who was preparing to go to sleep afterward. She still hoped to get a definite answer from Li Xiang about the child.
"Let's wait, now's not the time. Let's wait until the business is on track." Li Xiang grabbed Marina's hand, squeezed it, and asked, "Do you have any spare cash? I'll leave you some shares in Shopee's financing?"
"I don't want shares." Marina finally found a way to start the conversation and continued, "I went to the opera last night, and the mayor of Moscow's wife, Batulina, was sitting next to me. When we were chatting, I mentioned you and said that Shopee is looking for funding, and she seemed quite interested."
"If you need help, I can arrange for you to meet her."
Marina hoped that Li Xiang could recognize "reality," completely sever ties with the old forces, and throw himself into the arms of the Kremlin.
Russia's oligarchic class is at a golden window of transition between the old and the new.
Tech upstarts like Li Xiang can rise to prominence and become new oligarchs and powerful figures as soon as they gain the approval of the Kremlin.
But she couldn't say it; it wouldn't make a difference anyway.
All she could do was provide Li Xiang with an alternative way to clear his name.
The mayor of Moscow is considered a close advisor to the emperor.
Li Xiang declined, saying, "I'm currently in talks with SoftBank. Let's talk about it later."
"Oh, get some rest."
-
The news was filled with reports about the Kremlin's crackdown on the Tambov Gang.
Seven members of the Kumarin family, including Kumarin Jr., were arrested in this operation, along with hundreds of other core members of the Tambov gang, marking a significant victory.
But this operation came and went quickly.
The National Guard withdrew in just three days, and the case was handed over to the local judicial system in St. Petersburg, with the federal government only responsible for oversight.
Galina, a former member of the Tambov gang, has reformed and, because she is not a core member, was not targeted for arrest in this special operation.
However, this safety is only temporary. Soon there will be a second wave of damage, which will come later but will affect a wider area!
Mafia families are bound by blood ties, and once arrested, they are absolutely forbidden from betraying others. If anyone opens their mouth, even if it is their own son, they will be punished according to family law, and there is no room for negotiation.
Large gangs like the Tambov Gang are not only numerous but also have many factions. They are a mob that can fight each other without any scruples.
They're always fighting amongst themselves.
Reporting others can not only protect yourself, but also hurt your opponents!
-
Galina has emerged from the underground shelter. The police haven't come looking for her, but a lawyer has come to see her, bringing her a book.
"You should leave. Just because the police haven't come looking for you doesn't mean you're safe. It's very likely that they're short-staffed and haven't been able to find you yet."
"There's no need to stay and take that risk."
Li Xiang also had his own selfish reasons for kicking Galina out; he was afraid that Galina's case would become a trigger that would affect Shopee's fake order system.
"Where can I go?" Galina asked, her brow furrowed in worry.
"While you can still leave the country normally, let's get out first," Li Xiang said after thinking for a while. "I'll help you with your immigration to Granada."
Galina complained, "I've never even heard of this country."
"As long as it's fast, you can get a passport in two months. This is just a transitional option. Take this opportunity to get some fake documents and clean up your background."
"You're a former gangster, which developed country would want you if you immigrated there? I'll pay for it, is that alright?"
Galina pouted and said, "But you can't send me to Africa."
"The Caribbean, the scenery there is quite nice, just think of it as a vacation." Li Xiang asked with a straight face, "Are you going or not? Do you think I want to meddle in your business?"
"Come on, my brother also told me to find a chance to leave Russia." Galina's mood was a little down as she asked, "Immigrate to... that place you mentioned. Can I take my mother with me? I'm worried about leaving her alone."
"Yes, once I get this done for you, we'll be even."
Galina quickly replied, "No, that won't do. I can handle the immigration myself; I don't need you to."
Li Xiang said with a wry smile, "I'll help you with it, that's considered repaying a favor, okay?"
Galina lowered her voice and said solemnly, "I have one more thing to ask of you."
Li Xiang decisively refused, saying, "I really can't get your brother out. It's the Kremlin that wants to arrest him. There are very few people in all of Russia who can get him out."
"I know you can definitely do what I ask of you." Galina took a deep breath and asked, "Li Xiang, can I trust you?"
Seeing that Galina was so nervous that her hands were clasped together and her nails were digging into her flesh, Li Xiang deliberately tried to ease the tension.
"cannot."
Galina urged, "Just say yes already."
You have to tell me what you want to say first.
"You remember that set of keys, right? I know what it's for now. My brother left me some money, and he told me to find a way to get it out of here."
"How much?" Li Xiang's eyes lit up when he heard it was money.
"I don't know, I haven't checked yet."
"If I help you with this, how much will you give me?" Li Xiang asked.
"However much money you receive for laundering money for Khodorkovsky, we'll pay the same amount, okay?" Galina suddenly remembered something and quickly added, "You can't pocket it. My brother definitely knows how much money you've hidden. If the accounts don't match, it'll be difficult for me to be caught in the middle."
"My brother assigned this task to me simply because nobody knows I'm from the Kumarin family. This money isn't mine; you should understand, right?"
Li Xiang emphasized, "If this were a business deal, I definitely wouldn't take your offer."
"Your family is being watched by the Kremlin. If they arrest someone, they'll definitely need to make money from them."
"If this money is confiscated from me, even if your brother dies in jail, your family will not let it go. They might even shoot me in the back."
"The risk is too great."
"For my sake," Galina said with a smile, cupping her hands in a pleading gesture, "the money my brother left behind is just in case. It shouldn't be much, probably only two or three million US dollars."
"It's not difficult for you, it just involves selling a few thousand more iPhones, so please help me out."
Li Xiang asked with a serious expression, "How did you know I was engaging in fraudulent transactions?"
Galina raised her right hand and swore, "I won't make things up. I was just a little curious about your money laundering methods, so I asked a few more questions."
Li Xiang sighed and agreed, "Let's go see what your brother is hiding first."
-
Late at night, Galina took Li Xiang to a very ordinary apartment building.
Once inside, I realized I had seriously underestimated the Tambov gang's ability to make money.
At his most arrogant moment, Kumarin served as the vice president of the St. Petersburg Energy Company, and had progressed from collecting protection money to reselling oil and natural gas.
By the time of Kumarin Jr.'s generation, although the legitimate business could no longer be conducted and they were forced to fade from public view, the Tambov gang expanded further, monopolizing the underground economy of the entire St. Petersburg metropolitan area.