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critical risk$1+ billion (at death)
Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin
Wagner Group Founder (Deceased)
Russian Oligarch, Mercenary Army Chief, Troll Farm Operator
Overview
Yevgeny Prigozhin was a Russian oligarch known as"Putin's Chef"who founded the Wagner Group private military company and the Internet Research Agency (IRA) troll farm that interfered in the 2016 US election. Wagner mercenaries committed war crimes across Africa, Syria, and Ukraine, while his IRA conducted sophisticated disinformation campaigns targeting American democracy. In June 2023, Prigozhin led a brief mutiny against Russian military leadership before dying in a plane crash in August 2023 under highly suspicious circumstances, widely believed to be ordered by Putin as retaliation for the rebellion.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
US ELECTION INTERFERENCE: IRA conducted massive 2016 disinformation campaign reaching 126+ million Americans on Facebook
INDICTED BY DOJ: February 2018, indicted by Mueller for conspiracy against United States, identity fraud
WAGNER WAR CRIMES: Mercenaries committed atrocities in Syria (torture), Libya, Mali, CAR, Sudan, Mozambique, Ukraine
SLEDGEHAMMER EXECUTIONS: Wagner filmed brutal sledgehammer executions of defectors and prisoners
MUTINY (June 2023): Led armed rebellion against Russian military, marched on Moscow before standing down
DEATH (August 2023): Plane crashed near Moscow, widely attributed to Putin assassination order
AFRICA OPERATIONS: Wagner seized gold, diamond mines across Africa while propping up dictators
SYRIA MASSACRE: Wagner forces killed in US airstrike after attacking US-supported positions (February 2018)
PRISON RECRUITMENT: Recruited Russian prisoners for Ukraine front lines with promises of pardons
BAKHMUT MEAT GRINDER: Human wave tactics killed tens of thousands of Wagner troops in Bakhmut offensive
SANCTIONS EVASION: Complex network of shell companies to evade Western sanctions
DISINFORMATION EMPIRE: IRA operations extended to Brexit, French elections, African coups
Related Investigations (1)
Criminal Charges & Violations
9 documented violations
18 U.S.C. § 371Conspiracy to Defraud United States; Election interference (DOJ indictment)(Federal)
18 U.S.C. § 1028AAggravated Identity Theft; Fake American identities(Federal)
52 U.S.C. § 30121Foreign Contributions to Elections(Federal)
Rome Statute Article 8War Crimes; Wagner atrocities in Syria, Africa, Ukraine(International Criminal Court)
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(a)Crimes Against Humanity; Murder (mass executions)(International Criminal Court)
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(f)Crimes Against Humanity; Torture(International Criminal Court)
Rome Statute Article 8(2)(a)(ii)War Crimes; Torture of prisoners(International Criminal Court)
EU Sanctions RegulationsSanctioned individual; asset freezes(European Union)
OFAC SanctionsSpecially Designated National; US Treasury(Federal)
Known Associates & Connections
Vladimir Putin
Close associate, Kremlin patron, later executed him
Dmitry Utkin
Wagner Group military commander, died in same crash
Donald Trump
Beneficiary of IRA election interference
Sergei Shoigu
Russian Defense Minister, target of mutiny
Valery Gerasimov
Russian General, target of mutiny
Sources & Documentation
7 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Mueller Indictment: Internet Research Agency(2018)
Senate Intelligence Committee: Russian Interference Vol. 2(2019)
Wagner Group Investigation: Bellingcat(Various)
UN Human Rights Reports on Wagner Atrocities(2022-2023)
Treasury OFAC Sanctions(Various)
Plane Crash Investigation Reports(2023)
Facebook IRA Disclosure(2017)
Personal Information
- Born
- June 1, 1961
- Birthplace
- Leningrad, Soviet Union (now St. Petersburg, Russia)
- Also Known As
- Putin's Chef, Putin's Cook, Hot Dog Vendor, Shadow Commander
Education
- •No formal higher education
- •Criminal conviction in Soviet era
Key Timeline
June 1, 1961
Born in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Soviet Union
1981
Convicted of robbery, fraud; serves 9 years in prison
1990
Released from prison, starts hot dog stand
1990s
Builds catering empire in St. Petersburg
1990s
Meets Vladimir Putin through St. Petersburg connections
2000s
Wins Kremlin catering contracts, becomes"Putin's Chef"
2013
Founds Internet Research Agency troll farm in St. Petersburg
2014
Founds Wagner Group private military company
2014
Wagner deploys to Ukraine (Donbas), Syria
2015-2016
IRA conducts massive US election interference campaign
February 2018
Indicted by Mueller Special Counsel with 12 others
February 2018
200+ Wagner fighters killed by US airstrike in Syria
2018-2022
Wagner expands across Africa: CAR, Mali, Libya, Sudan, Mozambique
2022
Wagner deploys massively to Ukraine invasion
2022
Begins recruiting prisoners for front lines
2023
Bakhmut offensive: months of brutal urban combat, massive casualties
May 2023
Public feud with Russian military leadership escalates
June 23, 2023
Launches armed mutiny, Wagner forces march on Moscow
June 24, 2023
Mutiny ends after deal brokered by Belarus
August 23, 2023
Dies in plane crash near Moscow with Wagner commanders
August 2023
US intelligence assesses Putin ordered assassination
2024
Wagner continues operations under Russian military control