Kashogi Adnan / Adnan Khashoggi /

p. July 25, 1935
In the mid 80-ies the name of the multimillionaire not get away from the pages of world press. His condition was compared with the treasures of the Count of Monte Cristo. And no wonder! Adnan Kashogi, an arms dealer from Saudi Arabia, had a dazzling ostentatious luxury empire. Empire, far surpassing all the dreams of Croesus.
By this time he created a financial empire in the $ 4 billion, which included 37 countries. His 12 estates, scattered in different parts of the world, included a ranch in the area of 180 thousand acres in Kenya, the palaces in Marbella, Spain and Canary Islands. He had apartments in Paris, Cannes, Madrid, Rome, Beirut, Riyadh, Jeddah and Monte Carlo.
Moreover, in his possession were two floors of a luxury skyscraper in Manhattan. His yacht "Nabila" with a platform for the helicopter was so gorgeous that compared with her "British" Queen looked tourist ferry 3rd Class. He owned three airliners, twelve "Mercedes" of special design, hundreds of cars of other brands and a stable of Arabian horses.
From country to country, he moved, usually at his favorite airplane, the DC-8 ". This aircraft, purchased in 1982 and converted to his liking (which cost more in the $ 9 million), creating the feeling of flying in the twenty-first century the Las Vegas casino.
. In a luxurious cabin trimmed with suede and silk cream shades, his guests are usually treated as "Chateau Margaux" in 1961 from crystal stemware with triangular silver bottoms
. During the flight, "AK" as the boss called his men slept in one of the three bedrooms on the plane sable shawl valued at $ 200 thousand, thrown over a bed width of 3,5 meters.
. In the airplane kitchen, equipped with the latest technology, the chef conjured over the exquisite dishes
. By long-standing tradition, they served on a table in the service of the triangular shape of Chinese porcelain, decorated in gold with the initials "AK". Wine glasses, sets, trays - everything was created by the best designers on special order. The cost of a set of dishes - 750 thousand dollars.
Built-in coffee table a special color screen shows the overall view of the territory over which the aircraft flew. In the ceiling - a detailed map of space, a gift to the 50 th anniversary Kashogi, who adored astronomy. On a black background, one by one, lit constellation - Aquarius, Cancer, Gemini ... Lit and the constellation of Leo, under which he was born July 25, 1935. As soon as it got brighter, the stars appeared portrait AK.
Kashogi liked to make gifts. At one of the feasts of Christmas, he gave his second wife Lamia necklace of diamonds, rubies and emeralds, worth 1.9 million dollars. His ex-wife Suraie, demanded in the early 80-ies in the divorce proceedings 2,5 billion dollars in compensation, received for the same Christmas no less expensive ruby necklace.
AK - not rancorous ... Moreover, the court case was completed amicable deal.
That "relatively quiet" celebration of Christmas took place at his estate "La Baraka," which stretches the Spanish Mediterranean coast. On this occasion, the palace was turned into the residence of the Moorish caliph. Golden candlesticks were decorated with white petals and red streamers, the ceiling of the huge hall was covered with glittering gold and silver sequins, the servants in turbans, who carried to the tables giant dishes with lobster and pheasant, surrounded by apples.
. Fabulous techniques were branded Kashogi ...
. But Christmas was just a modest family triumph over its 50 th anniversary, when he received about 500 guests in three days
. Birthday cake in the shape of the crown of King Louis XI was the handiwork of master confectioner, who sent a special plane to the Louvre to study the original.
In the midst of the holiday Kashogi a telegram: "Best wishes to you, Adnan. Ronnie and Nancy Reagan.
Incidentally, almost all American presidents were his friends. He was friends with Johnson, Nixon dined at Russian restaurant "Rasputin" in Paris.
. Kashogi arranged receptions and in New York, in apartments, occupying two full floors (47 th and 48 th) Building a skyscraper "Olympic Tower in Manhattan.
. And that master to the door dressed in those godyN
. In Marbella Kashogi wardrobe consisted of 1,000 costumes made by special order
. These costumes were from 46 to 56 sizes, so that it hudevshego, the polnevshego billionaire always had on hand match the size clothes. Costumes flew with him from one name to another.
Bald-headed, with a slight paunch and the growth of 171 centimeter in those years Kashogi was more like the owner of a grocery store around the corner, rather than one of the richest people in the world. This man with a soft voice became a symbol sybarite cosmopolitan, seeking only to satisfy their whims. Such a lifestyle was costing him up to 250 thousand dollars a day.
. But this lavish lifestyle, in addition to meeting the natural inclinations, he was to Kashogi are carefully thought-out way of business.
. - Flowers and lanterns in the garden attract butterflies and nightingales, - he liked to say, resorting to the metaphor of the rigid reluctance to say that the flies are caught in the honey.
. Adnan Kashogi born in one of the most conservative and ascetic countries - Saudi Arabia
. He grew up in an atmosphere of confidence, which could only be established in the country, where the eldest son in the family is almost a prince.
. His father - Mohammed Kashogi (Syrian origin) - was the chief physician of King Abdel Aziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia
. Kashogi told me that his father taught him to distinguish between suffering and the reality of life, as well as the art of giving - as a prelude to receiving.
. At that time Saudi Arabia was a poor country, desert kingdom, far from lagging behind in its development of Western
. But Kashogi Sr. was determined to give his first-born contemporary education. He sent Adnan Egypt in the college of Queen Victoria - English school, to foster future leaders of the Middle East. Comrades Kashogi junior class were two princes who became kings - Faisal of Iraq and Saddam Hussein of Jordan.
Here future multimillionaire the first time and showed his talent broker. He learned that the father of one of the schoolmates, a trader from Libya, wanted to buy a large quantity of sheets and towels. The young entrepreneur also learned that the father of another friend in the class owned a factory to produce them. He drove a manufacturer with a merchant, and received his first commission - 1,000 dollars.
Kashogi wanted to become Petroleum Engineers and joined the Mountain Institute in Denver (Colorado). But the local climate was too cold for the hot blood descendant of the Arabian desert. With the help of his father, he was transferred to the University Chico. In this school, located in a small conservative town, center of agricultural area in California, uchilos about two thousand students. Most of these were the offspring of the rich Middle East, and the University has become an oasis for students from Arab countries seeking American education.
. When my father sent Kashogi 10 thousand dollars so that my son bought a new car and paid his rent, he bought two trucks and handed them to hire the owner of a small construction company for $ 125 a month.
. - I have received from home 225 dollars a month - recalls Kashogi
. - Thus, my income grew to $ 350. I was a rich student.
He immediately moved to a hotel, hired a student as a secretary and began to organize elegant receptions, at which drinks were served on silver trays with linen napkins and fresh flowers. Kashogi, in essence, creating a certain image. It was at this time, 18-year-old student became an agent of automobile factory in Seattle, produce trucks. Soon, many businessmen, believing that he has influence in Saudi Arabia, have started to offer him all sorts of transactions.
- My way of life was the only way to establish the necessary contacts, - confessed later Kashogi. - I spent money to get a list of invitees to the reception in the high society and the business world. A few years later they all wanted to get the invitation list for my tricks.
Incidentally, as a student, he resorted to a very interesting methods. When he had no money, he took $ 5 from his friend and immediately gave them a tip the maid. The lender was surprised, but Kashogi explained:
- Tomorrow I have to submit expense. I have no money to pay his. But these tipping all will think I am rich and will not demand anything from me.
Chico Kashogi left after the first three semesters - the conclusion of mediation of transactions has become the alpha and omega of his education. In 1956, he managed to get a contract to supply trucks for the Saudi army. Define the method: transaction fees, tricks, new contacts, new contracts. In 1962 he became the representative of "Chrysler" in Saudi Arabia. This was followed by Fiat, "Westland gelikopters", "Rolls-Royce.
- One deal led to another, one business gave rise to another, - recalls Kashogi.
Western companies have seen him as the person with whom you can have, if you want to do business in Saudi Arabia. When in 1964 the throne, King Faisal, and headed for cooperation with the U.S., Kashogi able to mediate between U.S. arms manufacturers and the Saudi Ministry of Defense. Under his influence, Saudi Arabia signed a contract with U.S. firm to assess the needs of national defense and to make recommendations on the procurement of military equipment and weapons systems.
As a result Kashogi was aware of all the negotiations and received agency rights from companies such as Lockheed, "Reyteon", "Northrop". It ended the case that when it brokered for 80 percent of all military purchases of Saudi Arabia in the United States.
For nine years (from 1966 th and 1975 th), he earned $ 200 million. Moreover, only in business in Los Angeles. He bought three passenger planes that have turned into nightclubs.
After the Arab-Israeli war of 1973 the Arab countries feverishly to replenish their arsenals. Rising oil prices gave them billions of dollars to pay for any weapons systems, which they could only dream of.
. - That was then, and come finest hour intermediaries such as Kashogi and they began to fill his pockets, - said one of the Middle Eastern arms dealers
. - It was a gold rush of the twentieth century. Everyone sitting in this time in Saudi Arabia.
Since 1970 and through 1975, the first year only Lockheed paid Kashogi 106 billion dollars in fees. During the same period, he said, according to some reports, received from other Western companies hundreds of millions of dollars. His commission, made up 2.5 percent at the beginning, rose to 15 percent.
Kashogi widely used women to ensure the success of their transactions. They are always hovering around the bunch of exotic, lovely fish. Its many times been accused of hiring prostitutes upper class, which he sent to seduce their business partners. Kashogi believed that women sweeten the deal.
- They give a raid environment of beauty and fragrance - confident he. - Women are very delicately play the role of housewives at receptions. But let someone be able to prove that I told someone that my girls are available in sexual terms.
In the 70-ies Kashogi spent a lot of money and a lot of time, hiring his service to girls who are "companion" the Shah of Iran. He tried to get information about plans to re-Iranian army.
- Shah was shy with women, - says Kashogi. - He liked to make an impression on them, trusting them secrets.
Kashogi personally instructed the girls how to fish out the information he needs. And they, in his words, "always brought rich booty."
By the mid-80's, as oil prices fell for Kashogi began the era of multibillion-dollar contracts sunset. The oil sheiks have learned to understand the complex world in arms purchases. This took their sons had been educated in American universities.
In response Kashogi began to expand the scope of its business in such industries as banking, agriculture and knowledge-based industries. His lawyer, Morton McLeod tried to create for him a corporate organization with a clear structure, which would cover all enterprises Kashogi. It's not gone ...
- We thought about the structure, working capital, minimum income, - told many years later, Macleod. - Kashogi was thinking about people, relationships, partners ...
Kashogi not an administrator and never was. They led the intuition. Details did not interest him, and he left them to their assistants.
But it is not always with success. Some of his ventures have brought millions of dollars damage, such as a project in Salt Lake City, worth a billion dollars. Plans to build a tourist center near Cairo, which was supposed to invest $ 600 million, were also not implemented because of concerns of the Egyptian Parliament, that the pyramid may be harmed. Come dust and projects of exploration and exploitation of oil fields in Sudan - the fall of President Nimeiri made them impossible, because the new rulers of the country to shut the door Kashogi.
. As some of his projects began to fall apart, increased interest in diplomacy Kashogi
. He put forward the idea to bring Israelis and Palestinians for peace talks with the participation of Americans, Egyptians and Jordanians. Kashogi proposed a fund of 300 billion dollars for the development of the Middle East region - a sort of Marshall Plan for the Middle East. He believed that it would encourage countries that were involved in the conflict to the negotiating table.
In late 1985, he visited for ten days, eight Arab countries in order to advance its proposal. But those plans did not work. Kashogi explained later:
- I was not interested in politics. But if it serves the interests of my business, I took part in the game.
For his seven children Kashogi was not a politician. He was above all - father. His four elder sons and a daughter (by his first wife Suraie) studied in the U.S.. From the second wife Lamia he has a son, who is now 21 years old.
Kashogi Lamiey first met in Milan when she was 17 years old and its still called Laura Byankolini. Before they were married in 1978, Laura moved to Islam.
AK has always been surrounded by a crowd of hangers-on - entourage entertaining, and often just a comic character. He loved to demonstrate their affinity with the great of this world, and in his office in Manhattan in a conspicuous place hung photographs: Kashogi with Reagan, Kissinger, Pope Paul VI.
He lived on the verge of two worlds, two cultures. Torn between East and West. Between "galabeey" (long-tailed shirt), which he wore in the company of their fellow Arabs, and a tuxedo, in which he appeared in the West among business partners.
. The second half of the 80-ies a great waster began to experience difficulties
. The French authorities confiscated his favorite airplane, the DC-8 "for debt. In Marbella struck 60 employees, servicing this luxurious villa, because wages are not paid on time.
. - Sometimes Kashogi could hardly dial the 200 thousand dollars out of pocket expenses, - confessed to his close friend.
. - Everything was mortgaged, except for his wife - said his bodyguard
.
March 24, 1989 the Attorney General of New York issued a warrant for the arrest Kashogi. April 18, the Swiss police arrested a Saudi billionaire in the hotel "Shvazerhof" in Bern, where he arrived for the course of rejuvenation. Prosecutor charges were very serious - racketeering, fraud and corruption.
His mug shot was taken in profile, assign a number to 67,391, and placed in a cell with armored glass, which was fed air conditioning. Every morning the owner of nearby restaurant gave him in jail exquisite dishes.
Meanwhile, the business world is the U.S. declared war on him. Apartments in New York hotel "Olympic Tower" had to lay 53, the plaintiff demanded $ 150 million.
Today Kashogi not go with an outstretched hand. But not shikuet, as previously. And the money diminished, and the age makes itself felt. Nevertheless, he still wants to leave mark on history. However, as the ancient spendthrifts Croesus and Midas, he is likely to remain in the memory of people as people, have accumulated and squandered untold wealth.