Oleg Deripaska, 40, Basic Element

Empire builder Deripaska is Russia's richest man, with an estimated net worth of $28 billion. Along with Russian aluminum giant Rusal, his holding company Basic Element controls Russian auto manufacturer GAZ and companies from aviation to construction to financial services. Rusal also owns a 25% stake in Norilsk Nickel, acquired from fellow oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov, to the chagrin of big Norilsk shareholder Vladimir Potanin. One reason Americans haven't seen a lot of Deripaska: The U.S. State Department revoked his visa in 2006. The Wall Street Journal reported that this was partly due to his alleged ties to organized crime. Deripaska has denied any such links, and a spokesman says the billionaire hasn't reapplied for U.S. travel.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fortune/0809/gallery.hira_oligarchs.fortune/index.html 

Interesting. . . I guess someone in Russia is doing quite well for themselves!

Look at that link . . .

6 of those billionaires are in their early 40's ... the other two are in their early 50's ...

I think it's funny that the guy pictured above is being accused of having ties to the Russian Mob . . .

On face value, I sorta tend to believe those rumors !

Read the book McMafia by Misha Glenny and you will understand why Russia has so many new tycoons. The fall of communism was a good thing for organized crime in the Balkins.

DED