A 4 million dollar reward offered by the United States Department of State tracks Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov, a figure accused of running sophisticated money laundering operations and illegal gambling rings. Born in Tashkent in 1949, his life path transitioned from junior football player in the Pakhtakor team to a central figure in international law enforcement investigations.
Early Career and Legal Troubles
Initial efforts to establish a professional career with CSKA Moscow proved unsuccessful, leading to his early exit from sports. Between 1972 and 1985, he served two prison terms for parasitism. By 1989, he relocated to Germany, securing Israeli citizenship while reportedly engaging in arms sales involving the Western Group of Forces and an unnamed Arab nation.
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In the early 1990s, he settled in Paris, France, facing accusations regarding illegal business transactions and hardware smuggling from Germany. Reports linked him to organized crime, specifically involving ethnic Georgian mobster Tariel Oniani. After French authorities denied his residency renewal, he moved to Italy. In 2002, he faced bribery allegations concerning ice skating judges at the Winter Olympics. Italian courts refused his extradition to the United States and subsequently released him.
Gambling and Financial Crimes
Federal prosecutors identified him as a prominent figure in Russian organized crime linked to the Taiwanchik-Trincher Organization. A 2013 FBI investigation uncovered a gambling ring based in New York, specifically operating out of unit 63A in Trump Tower. Records indicate he allegedly received over 12 million dollars from this operation between December 2011 and February 2013. He has remained a fugitive from American justice since the federal grand jury indictment.
Residence and Personal Affairs
He resides in Russia, specifically within the elite village of Lapino near the Rublevo-Uspenskoye Highway, 30 kilometres west of Moscow. In 2010, tax authorities stated he failed to pay 115,000 rubles in taxes on his estate there. His personal life includes four children. A 2013 legal dispute with Yulia Malik involved custody of two daughters, with a court ruling reportedly favoring her.
Fast facts
- Born: 1949, Tashkent
- Citizenship: Russia, Uzbekistan, Israel
- Nickname: Taiwanchik
- Documentary appearance: Thieves by Law (2010)
- Residence: Lapino, Russia
- Wanted status: FBI fugitive since 2013
- Reward: Up to $4 million
Questions readers ask
Why is he called Taiwanchik?
The name translates to Little Taiwanese and refers to his distinctly Asiatic facial features.
Is Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov currently in prison?
No, he lives openly in Russia and continues to evade arrest by United States authorities.
